Kılıçdaroğlu warns of sleepless night as tampering accusations persist

Photo: AA

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The presidential election appears to be highly contested, with no candidate currently reaching the 50% threshold, and the mixed results being published by the two authorized organs responsible for releasing the election results have led Kılıçdaroğlu to accuse of manipulating the outcome.

"The fiction that started with the 60% [of Erdoğan's votes] has now fallen below 50%. The ballot box observers and our officials at the election boards should never leave their places. We will not sleep tonight, my people. I warn the Supreme Election Council (YSK), you have to ensure the data entry in the provinces," he writes. The YSK website is, at the moment, not reachable.

Yüzde 60'lar ile başlayan kurgu şu anda 50'nin altına düştü. Sandık müşahitleri ve seçim kurullarındaki görevlilerimiz bulundukları yerden asla ayrılmasın. Bu gece uyumayacağız Halkım. YSK'yı uyarıyorum, illerdeki veri girişini sağlamak zorundasınız.

— Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu (@kilicdarogluk) May 14, 2023

Although the state-run Anadolu Agency (AA) is reporting that President Erdoğan has a significant lead over Kılıçdaroğlu in the election, the opposition is claiming that these results have been tampered with. ANKA agency, the second organization authorized to report election results, is providing slower updates, but it is suggesting a much closer contest.

During the 2019 local elections, AA was alleged to show a bias towards the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). (EMK/WM)