Governing AKP Victorious in General Elections

At 9 pm tonight, around 85 percent of the votes in Turkey have been counted. Although there may still be changes in the percentages that parties have reached, the overall picture is clear.

Clear majority for AKP

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has currently netted 47.26 percent of the vote, giving it 342 seats in the 550-seat parliament, a safe majority to form a single-party government with again.

The main opposition party, the Republican People's Party (CHP) has received 20.36 percent of the national vote so far, which means 110 seats.

In these elections, a third party has managed to overcome the 10 percent election hurdle: the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), with 14.52 percent so far, is set to take 72 seats in parliament.

DP chairperson and vice chairperson have resigned

No other party has managed to pass the 10 percent hurdle. The fourth-placed party, the Democratic Party (DP) only got 5.45 percent, a result which has led the party chairperson Mehmet Agar and the vice chairperson Nüzhet Kandemir to resign this evening.

Around 20 independent candidates successful

About 20 independent candidates are predicted to enter parliament. Supported by the pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP), the "Thousand Hope" candidates seem to have been successful in several provinces.

In Istanbul, it is not yet clear whether Ufuk Uras (1st constituency) will win, but imprisoned woman candidate Sebahat Tuncel seems to have gained a seat.

In Diyarbakir, four independent candidates seem to have won: Aysel Tugluk, one of Abdullah Öcalan's lawyers and the co-chairperson of the DTP, Gülten Kisanak, a journalist, Akin Birdal, co-founder and former chairperson of the Human Rights Association (IHD), and Selahattin Demirtas, a lawyer.

The DTP has declared that in the following provinces, candidates have been successful:

Batman (2), Tunceli (1), Bitlis (1), Sanliurfa (1), Hakkari (2), Mardin (2), Igdir (1), Mus (1), Van (1), Sirnak (2), Siirt (1).

One of the Mardin candidates is Ahmet Türk, the second co-chairperson of the DTP. The Mus candidate is Sirri Sakik, whose older brother Semdin Sakik was a leading figure in the PKK until his imprisonment. Sirri Sakik is a former DEP MP.

Preliminary results (9pm)

An overview of the election results so far:

* Justice and Development Party (AKP): 47.26%

* Republican People's Party (CHP): 20.36%

* Nationalist Movement Party (MHP): 14.52%

* Democratic Party (DP): 5.45%

* Young Party (GP): 2.97%

* Felicity Party (SP): 2.35%

* Independent Turkey Party (BTP): 0.5%

* People's Ascent Party (HYP): 0.48%

* Workers' Party (IP): 0.35%

* Enlightenment Turkey Party (ATP): 0.27%

* Turkey Communist Party (TKP): 0.2%

* Freedom and Solidarity Party (ÖDP): 0.15%

* Liberal Democratic Party (LDP): 0.1%

* Labour Party (EMEP): 0.07%

(TK/NZ/AG)