Erdoğan's alliance poised to win parliament, boosting his chances in runoff for presidency

See our live results page to follow the latest updates and data from across the country 

All updates local time (GMT+3)

03.30: Our live coverage has concluded

03.28: YSK: Erdoğan leads Kılıçdaroğlu 

With 91.93% of the votes counted, Erdoğan got 49.49 percent of the votes while Kılıçdaroğlu got 44.79 percent, the Supreme Electoral Council announced.

03.24: Kılıçdaroğlu concedes runoff likely in presidential election

Briefly speaking to reporters accompanied by his allies, the opposition leader said, "If our people say second round, they are welcome to do so. We will definitely win in the second round, no doubt about it. Everyone will see it."

Erdoğan's alliance appears to have secured a parliamentary majority, giving him a potential advantage over the opposition leader in the second round.

03.02: Erdoğan hopeful for second round

Addressing his supporters outside his party's headquarters in Ankara, Erdoğan noted that his alliance secured the parliamentary majority and asserted that "we are ahead by far" in the presidential election.

"If the people's decision shows that the presidential election is completed, then there's no problem. However, if our people have made their choice in favor of the second round of the election, then that is also acceptable. We believe that we will finish this round with a vote rate above 50 percent."

02.44: Latest results according to different sources

Anadolu Agency

Erdoğan: 49.4%

Kılıçdaroğlu: 44.9%

(Opened ballot boxes: 96.9%)

ANKA

Erdoğan: 49.30%

Kılıçdaroğlu: 45%

(Opened ballot boxes: 96.8%)

CHP

Erdoğan 45.1%

Kılıçdaroğlu: 48.9%

01.16 Opposition insists AKP obstructing vote count

Holding a press conference, Kılıçdaroğlu said, ""They are blocking the system by making successive objections in the ballot boxes where our votes are high."

Over 87 percent of the votes have been counted, according to the Supreme Electoral Council (YSK)

However, Rüştü Tiryaki, the HDP representative at the YSK, said the council shared only 20 percent of the counted votes with political parties.

00.26: No clear winner in presidency, ruling alliance poised to win parliament

The People's Alliance is set to win the parliamentary majority by a solid margin while neither presidential candidate will secure 50 percent of the votes, prompting a runoff. President Erdoğan will apparently run in the second run with his alliance having the majority in parliament, which will give him a significant advantage over Kılıçdaroğlu.

According to both AA and ANKA, the ruling alliance will have around 320 of the 600 MPs.

23.03: Less than half of the votes entered into official system, says YSK head

Chair of the Supreme Electoral Council (YSK), Ahmet Yener, has said that there were no delays or interruptions and shared the following information: "We are sharing information with political parties. Accordingly, 47.08 percent of the votes were entered within the country and 12.60 percent were entered from abroad."

22.36: "We will not sleep tonight," says Kılıçdaroğlu

''We will not sleep tonight,'' Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, the joint candidate of the Nation's Alliance, said on Twitter.

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 official organs, the state-run Anadolu Agency and the ANKA agency.

"The fiction that started with the 60% [of Erdoğan 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 wrote.

Although 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. On the other hand, 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 showed a bias towards the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).

• Read the full article

21.47: İstanbul mayor: AKP making objections to delay announcement of results

İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu has claimed that the ruling AKP is making objections to the results in places where the opposition is ahead, in an effort to delay the announcement of the final results.

• Read the full article

21.25: AKP will respect the results, says spokesperson

The ruling party will respect the results whatever they are, said its spokesperson, Ömer Çelik

We have shown the whole world how a democratic struggle will be waged. The ballot box is your honor in politics. What everyone should do is to wait for the results. The counting is being carried out transparently. Whatever the election results are, we have the tradition to respect.

• Read the full article

21.09: Kılıçdaroğlu narrows the gap

The opposition leader's voting rate is at 46.22 percent and Erdoğan's is at 48.01 percent with 62.78 percent of the votes counted, according to ANKA agency. 

20.25: Report: AKP headquarters evacuated due to bomb threat

The Justice and Development Party (AKP)'s headquarters have been evacuated due to a possible bomb threat, according to BBC Turkish.

A security official stated that after the entire building is has been searched for bombs, re-entry will be allowed. Search dogs have entered the compound while some people are still inside.

20.15: İstanbul, Ankara mayors reassure voters that Kılıçdaroğlu will win

Recalling the 2019 local elections, the two mayors, who will become vice presidents if Kılıçdaroğlu is elected, have accused the state-run Anadolu Agency of "manipulating" the results. The opposition candidate is ahead of Erdoğan, they asserted.

• Read the full article

20.05: Kılıçdarğlu says "We are ahead"

Despite the state-run Anadolu Agency results showing President Erdoğan has a comfortable lead over Kılıçdaroğlu, the opposition insists the results are manipulated. 

In a tweet, Kılıçdaroğlu said, "We are ahead."

Öndeyiz.

— Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu (@kilicdarogluk) May 14, 2023

19.29: Opposition politicians warn public not to rely on state agency results

An official of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) and its imprisoned former co-chair, Selahattin Demirtaş, and a spokesperson for the main opposition CHP have warned the public not to trust the election results provided by the state-run Anadolu Agency (AA). According to the latest results from AA, Erdoğan gets 53 percent of the votes and Kılıçdaroğlu gets 41 percent.

Mehmet Rüştü Tiryaki, the party's representative at the Supreme Electoral Council (YSK), said, "People are trying to get information from a single source. It is being treated as if Anadolu Agency is the only source of information. However, we know that Anadolu Agency does not collect any information in the field and obtains all information from government partners. Do not rely on their statements and data. We want people to rely on our and opposition parties' statements and data."

Demirtaş tweeted, "Do not believe the data of Anadolu Agency, remember the 2019 elections. Those who remember, please explain to those who do not remember."

CHP Spokesperson Faik Öztrak, held a press conference at 7:00 pm, after the ban on publishing preliminary results was lifted.

''Anadolu Agency is doing their traditional manipulation for the last time. We thank the officials for their tremendous efforts and hard work. The work will continue until morning. But at the moment, the data we received was very positive. We request the public to follow our statements. We will start announcing the results once the number of opened ballot boxes becomes significant, '' the spokesperson of the main opposition party stated, referring to AA's failure to update election data during 2019 local elections leading to accusations that it acted in favor of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).

In addition to AA, the ANKA agency also provides live election results.

• Read the full article

18.55: Initial results come in as restrictions lifted

Follow the election results on our live results page.

Latest presidential election results:

Erdoğan: 49.6%
Kılıçdaroğlu: 45.1%
Oğan: 4.66%

Opened ballot box rate: 3.7%

18.27: Statement from Kılıçdaroğlu

Having cast his vote in the capital of Ankara, Kılıçdaroğlu urges voters to remain at the ballot boxes until all procedures are properly completed.

"I want to address our democracy heroes. Until the signed final ballot report is delivered, never leave the ballot boxes under any circumstances. The full and accurate manifestation of the will of the people depends on your determination. You will see that it will be worth your fatigue," The Republican People's Party (CHP) leader shares on his twitter account.

Demokrasi kahramanlarımıza seslenmek istiyorum. İmzalı son sandık tutanağı teslim edilene kadar, ne olursa olsun asla sandıkların başından ayrılmayın. Millet iradesinin tam ve doğru biçimde tecelli etmesi sizin kararlılığınıza bağlı. Göreceksiniz, yorgunluğunuza değecek.

— Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu (@kilicdarogluk) May 14, 2023

18.15: Broadcast of results to begin at 9 pm local time

Chair of the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK), Ebubekir Şahin, has warned that election results cannot be broadcast until 9 pm local time (GMT+3), unless the Supreme Electoral Council (YSK) decides otherwise.

According to YSK regulations, announcing election results before 9 p.m. falls under election restrictions. Şahin reminded broadcasters of this in a statement, adding that the YSK has the authority to bring forward the announcement time if necessary. Until further notice, it is legally necessary to refrain from broadcasting election results before 9 p.m.

"Unless the YSK announces a different decision, it is a legal requirement not to display the election results on the screen," said Şahin.

17.57: Erdoğan heads to Ankara after casting his vote

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his spouse Emine Erdoğan cast their votes in İstanbul's Üsküdar district.

After casting his vote, Erdoğan wished success to all members of the ballot box committees and told reporters, "I will follow the process from İstanbul."

However, Erdoğan later moved from İstanbul to Ankara.

Erdoğan arrived at Esenboğa Airport and then went to the Presidential Complex. He will reportedly go to the AKP headquarters to follow the election results.

17.50: Security measures around the Supreme Electoral Council

Chair of the Supreme Electoral Council (YSK), Ahmet Yener, made a statement following the end of the voting:

"The Presidential election and the 28th General Election of Members of Parliament held on May 14, 2023, have been concluded. There has been no negative incident reported to our Council so far. During the voting process throughout the country, it was learned that a party observer and two citizens suffered a heart attack and lost their lives.

All roads leading to the YSK have been closed to both vehicle and pedestrian traffic. Journalists were also escorted to the YSK building after passing through checkpoints.

17.15: Leaders call on citizens to "protect ballots"

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and CHP İstanbul Chair Canan Kaftancıoğlu have called on the citizens to "protect your votes" as the polls have closed.

"Dear companions in our common cause and journey... The voting process throughout our country has been successfully completed in a manner befitting our democracy. Now, as always, it is time to protect the ballot boxes tightly. Let us continue to safeguard the will of our nation until the results are finalized!" he said.

Kaftancıoğlu remarked, "Polls are closing in Istanbul. Now we invite our citizens to be present at their schools where they cast their votes to protect their ballots. Our staff are also there. After the vote count, the ballot bags will be handed over to the officials."

They expect a voter turnout of over 90 percent in the metropolis, she added.

Çiğdem Kılıçgün-Uçar, co-spokesperson of the Green Left Pary, said, "Dear women and young people, let's protect the ballot boxes, the votes, the signed minutes and the ballot bags for the democratization of the Republic, the construction of a peaceful and equal country. We are on the verge of a historic victory. We will definitely win. We will change it together."

• Read the full article

17.00: Voting ends

As the polls have closed, the vote count is set to begin. A total of 191,884 ballot boxes were established in 1,094 district electoral committees across 973 districts throughout Turkey. The total number of eligible voters, both domestic and abroad, was 64,113,941.

Updates from earlier in the day:

• Leaders cast votes as Kılıçdaroğlu hopes for 'spring to come'
• Green Left voters registered as pro-Erdoğan Patriotic Party balloting committee members
• Balloting committee chair in custody for tampering with a ballot, says CHP official
• Voting starts in Turkey elections

(VK)