Political parties

Sinan Oğan, who entered the election as a non-partisan presidential candidate from Ata Alliance, has emerged as a game changer in the landmark May 14 polls, as he surprisingly took around 5 percent of the vote and stopped his rivals from winning outright.

Mariya Gabriel, nominated for prime minister by GERB-SDS, met with the leadership of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS) parliamentary group. GERB leader Boyko Borissov was also present at the meeting.

Slovenian physicist Dušan Petrač, who was a leading NASA scientist, has died aged 91. The news of the death of the long-term member of the Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS) has been announced by SDS leader Janez Janša.

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.