Turkey presidential run-off results: Erdogan leads as rival Kilicdaroglu banks on people's 'common sense'

Turkey started counting ballots on Sunday evening in the country's first-ever runoff presidential vote. The result will decide whether President Recep Tayyip Erdogan would expand his authoritarian grip over Ankara into the third decade or not.

Erdogan faces the challenge to be unseated by Kemal Kilicdaroglu.

But as pertrends posted officially, Erdogan is well ahead of his challenger. The incumbent president isleading with 54.3 per cent votes against Kilicdaroglu's 45.63 per cent, with nearly one-third of ballots counted at the time of filing this report.

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Turkey elections: Implications for the rest of the world

Turkey stands at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, and as a NATO member, Erdogan’s government vetoed Sweden’s bid to join NATO and purchased Russian missile defence systems, which prompted the United States to oust Turkey from a US-led fighter-jet project.

Erdogan, however, has also been credited with helping broker a crucial deal that allowed Ukrainian grain shipments and averted a global food crisis.

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President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has been at Turkey’s helm for 20 years, was favoured to win a new five-year term in the second-round runoff, after falling just short of outright victory in the first round on May 14.

The two candidates have offered sharply different visions of the country’s future and its recent past.

"This election took place under very difficult circumstances, there was all sorts of slander and defamation," the 74-year-old Kilicdaroglu told reporters after casting his ballot, Associated Press reported.

"But I trust in the common sense of the people. Democracy will come, freedom will come, people will be able to wander the streets and freely criticise politicians."

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Speaking to reporters after casting his vote at a school in Istanbul, Erdogan said that it was the first presidential runoff election in Turkey’s history. But the incumbent president was also seen distributing cash to his supporters shortly after he cast his ballot.

"I pray to God, that it (the election) will be beneficial for our country and nation," Erdogan said.

(With inputs from agencies)

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