Erdogan still captivates his followers despite setbacks

A supporter of the President Recep Tayyip Erdogan holds a Turkish flag outside his house in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday. [AP]

President Tayyip Erdogan's election victory showed the magnetic hold he still has over millions of Turks after 20 years in power, with many believing he is the man best placed to fix problems which critics say are partly of his own making.

Hundreds of thousands of flag-waving supporters celebrated into the night, illustrating the enthusiasm that Erdogan and his Islamist-inspired politics generate among his fans, despite economic hardships which many thought would prompt his defeat.

"The victory is ours, how happy it is for us. Bye-bye, Mr Kemal. Thank God, Islam has won," said an Erdogan supporter who gave his name as Banu, referring to the opposition's Kemal Kilicdaroglu who was defeated on Sunday.

"Today is our happy day. Our President has won. I feel like I'm going on a pilgrimage to Mecca," added another, Omer, among the thousands of people gathered at the...

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