Erdogan claims victory amid fears of poll fraud

TURKISH president Recep Tayyip Erdogan claimed victory last night in the country’s most fiercely fought election in years.

Speaking on TV in Istanbul, Mr Erdogan, 64, said: ‘The nation has entrusted to me the responsibility of the presidency and the executive duty.’

The controversial hardliner also declared victory for the People’s Alliance formed between his ruling Justice and Development Party and the small Nationalist Movement Party, saying they had a parliamentary majority in the 600member national assembly.

But the main opposition, the Republican People’s Party, said it was too early to concede defeat. Its candidate Muharrem Ince, Mr Erdogan’s main presidential rival, urged election monitors to remain at polling stations to help protect against possible election fraud, as final results came in from large cities where his party typically performs strongly.

But Mr Erdogan said: ‘Our people have given us the job of carrying out the presidential and executive posts.

‘I hope nobody will try to cast a shadow on the results and harm democracy in order to hide their own failure.’

With 80% of votes counted, he had secured 54% of the vote. He needed 50% to stay in power or be forced into a run-off with Mr Ince. Turnout was 87%.

Mr Erdogan, running for a second five-year term, is in line to become the country’s first executive president with sweeping new powers that were narrowly approved in a referendum last year.

He will have the authority to pass laws by decree and exert control over the judiciary for the first time. The post of prime minister will be scrapped and the parliament weakened under the changes.

Critics say these powers will further erode democracy and entrench one-man rule.