ANKARA: President Racep Tayyip Erdogan extended his two decades in power on May 28 by winning a mandate to pursue increasingly authoritarian policies which have polarised T rkiye and reinforced its position as a regional military power.
A challenger, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, called it the most unfair election in years, but did not dispute the outcome.
The official results show that Kilicdaroglu won 47.9 per cent of the vote to Erdoan's 52.1 per cent, pointing to a deeply divided nation.
The election was seen as one of the most impactful events for Turkey, with the opposition holding a strong chance of unseating Erdoan and reversing his policies after his popularity was impacted by a cost-of-living crisis.
He had already redrawn domestic, economic, security and foreign policy in the NATO member nation of 85 million, but his victory reinforced his image of invincibility.
The prospect of five more years of his rule was a major blow to opponents who accused him of undermining democracy as he amassed ever more power - a charge he denies.
In a victory speech in Ankara, Erdoan promised to leave all disputes behind and unite behind national values and dreams but then changed gears, lashing out at the opposition and accusing Kilicdaroglu of siding with terrorists without providing evidence.
He added that releasing former pro-Kurdish party leader Selahattin Demirtas, whom he branded a terrorist, would not be possible under his government.
Turkey's NATO allies, Turkey's, who have been alarmed by Erdogan's links to Russian President Vladimir Putin, will be mourned by Kilicdaroglu's defeat.
I look forward to continuing to work together as NATO Allies on bilateral issues and shared global challenges, said Joe Biden, US president. Turkish relations have been stuggled by Erdogan's opposition to Sweden joining NATO, and Ankara's close relationship with Moscow and differences over Syria, as well as Ankara's close relationship with Moscow.
Addressing jubilant supporters earlier from atop a bus in Istanbul, Mr. Erdogan said the only winner today is T rkiye.
Erdogan's victory extends his reign as the longest-serving leader of Turkey since Mustafa Kemal Ataturk established modern Turkey in the ruins of the Ottoman Empire a century ago - a political potent anniversary to be marked in October with Erdogan in charge.
During a divisive campaign that deflected attention from deep economic problems, Erdogan, head of the Islamist-anchored AK Party, appealed to voters with nationalist and conservative rhetoric.
In his victory speech, Trump attacked the opposition again, saying they were pro-LGBT.
Kilicdaroglu, who had vowed to establish the country on a more democratic and collaborative path, said the vote showed people's will to change an authoritarian government. All the means of the state were laid at the feet of one man, he said.