Erdogan urges supporters to ‘protect the ballot boxes’
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has addressed supporters in a Twitter post following the conclusion of voting in Turkey’s presidential and parliamentary elections.
“The voting process has been completed throughout the country in a way that befits our democracy,” he said.
“Now, as always, it is time to firmly protect the ballot boxes. Until the results are finalised, we will continue to protect the will of our people.”.
Polling stations across Turkey closed on Sunday as voting in the polls ended at 5 pm local time (1400GMT).
More than 64.1 million people were registered to vote, including over 1.76 million who cast their ballots abroad and 4.9 million first-time voters.
Ballot counting is, however, underway to determine the outcome of a three-way race between Erdogan, main opposition candidate Kemal Kilicdaroglu, and Sinan Ogan.
Muharrem Ince, another presidential contender, withdrew on Thursday.
More than 30 political parties and over 150 independent parliamentary candidates competed in the elections.
There were five multiparty blocs in the running: the People's Alliance, Nation Alliance, Ancestral Alliance, Labor and Freedom Alliance, and Union of Socialist Forces Alliance.
Al Jazeera’s Sami Zeidan, reporting from Istanbul, says official results will be out in three days.
“This [three days] seems like a lifetime as the nation is on knife-edge, wanting to know where these crucial elections will take the nation,” Zeidan said.
As of 7pm (16:00 GMT), “we can start talking about some of the unofficial results, but for now we have to sit back and hold our breath”, he added.
He said no major security incidents or irregularities at polling stations have been reported so far.
“Sadly three people had a heart attack – a polling supervisor and two voters – because of the palpable excitement and the tension that has gripped this country,” he also said.
Al Jazeera’s Amer Lafi has been speaking to voters in Istanbul and has this to say:
“Those who voted for Kilicdaroglu told us that they wanted the economic situation to change and that Kilicdaroglu might hold the magic wand or the key to change.
“Those who voted for Erdogan told us that they still had a lot of faith in the man who led Turkey for more than 20 years, and that the economic crisis was not limited to Turkey, but is rather a global crisis that has hit all cities and countries around the world. They are confident that Erdogan can overcome this challenge.”
Turks always say that whoever wins Istanbul wins the election, Lafi added.
Source: Al Jazeera and Anadolu Agency
