Oppressive era ended through democracy: CHP

Preliminary results from Turkey's parliamentary election suggest that the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) has won over 25 percent of the vote, largely retaining the 26 percent support it received in general elections four years ago, according to unofficial results from Anadolu Agency. 

"We have ended an oppressive era through democratic ways. Democracy has won; Turkey has won," CHP leader Kemal K?l?çdaro?lu said in a short speech after the elections.

"This result does not require my resignation," K?l?çdaro?lu told daily Hürriyet. 

The 25.32 percent support will give the party around 132 seats in the 550-seat parliament. The party received 26.0 percent of the vote and 135 seats in the 2011 parliamentary elections, which the party contested under K?l?çdaro?lu's leadership for the first time after he replaced long-time leader Deniz Baykal in 2010.

The CHP was unable to increase its vote share due to the transfer of many votes to the Peoples' Democracy Party (HDP) amid a campaign to ensure the party crossed the 10 percent electoral threshold, particularly from among young people who were attracted by the campaign of popular HDP co-leader Selahattin Demirta?.

"The winner of the June 7 elections is democracy and Turkey, the loser is [President Recep Tayyip] Erdo?an," CHP Deputy Chairman Haluk Koç said in his first assessment after the elections. 

"The oppressive regime has ended," he said, noting that his party had become the most important political actor that can form the government. 

"There is no possibility that we can come together with the AKP," Koç said after being asked if the CHP could make a coalition with the ruling party. 

Senior CHP official Murat Karayalç?n said he...