Erdogan declares victory in historic Turkish vote
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan won a strong mandate with more than 53% of the vote in an election that cements his legacy as Turkey’s most powerful leader in decades. But his main rival has refused to concede, saying it was too early to say Erdogan had won outright.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan handily won re-election Sunday, cementing his hold on power with immense new authority, but his historic victory was tempered after his ruling party was deprived of a majority in a concurrent parliamentary vote and the opposition refusal to concede.
His main rival, Muharrem Ince, nominated by center-left Republican People’s Party (CHP), had not yet admitted defeat in the early hours of Monday. Other opposition parties also cried foul play over the integrity of the vote.
