Political parties

The results show that the incumbent president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, won 49.39 percent of the votes, and his main rival, Kemal Kılıdaroğlu, won 45 percent, Anadolu Agency reported.

Türkiye has seen one of its most exciting presidential elections with the two strongest candidates current President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Nation Alliance's candidate and Republican People's Party (CHP) Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu in a neck and neck race.

The unofficial results of the parliamentary election on May 14 showed that the People's Alliance - formed by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), the New Welfare Party (YRP) and the Great Union Party (BBP) - garnered the most lawmakers in the parliament

Turkish voters at a polling station in Ankara, Turkey, 14 May 2023, as the country holds simultaneous parliamentary and presidential elections. Photo: EPA-EFE/MANUEL DE ALMEIDA

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic told reporters that he will soon step down as leader of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SPP), reports BGNES. "In a few days, I will no longer be the chairman of a political party. And that's why they (political opponents) lied that it will never happen.

"The next talks about a government exclude a coalition, it can only be expert", stated the candidate for prime minister of GERB-SDS Mariya Gabriel. "Tomorrow morning I plan to propose that the talks continue for the formation of an expert government, with a term of one year, based on priorities", she said at a briefing at the GERB headquarters.

• More than 64 million Turkish citizens are eligible to vote in the polls. They will choose between three presidential candidates and 36 parties in 87 electoral districts.
• Voters will decide the fate of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his ruling Justice and Development Party, AKP as they face a united democratic opposition.

Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, the chairman of the Republican People's Party (CHP) and the presidential candidate of the six-party Nation Alliance visited Anıtkabir on May 13, a day before the critical elections. 

Anıtkabir is the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the leader of the country's War of Independence and founder of modern Türkiye.

"Our problem for 10-12 years was that we had no opposition. Now, whatever happens, there is strong opposition in the parliament - both from Vazrazhdane and WCC-DB". This was stated by GERB leader Boyko Borissov to journalists in the parliament after yesterday's meeting with WCC-DB.

Presidential and parliamentary elections have begun at 8 am local time.

"As of now, all measures for healthy and secure elections have been taken by the Supreme Election Board [YSK] and its election committees in the provinces and districts," YSK head Ahmet Yener told the journalists on May 12.