[8:35 am Doha Time]
In Photos: Supporters of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan celebrate his victory in the historic presidential runoff elections. Photos by Yasin Akgul/ AFP
------------------------------
[7:30 am Doha Time]
Amir holds phone call with Turkish President
The Amir HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani held on Sunday a telephone conversation with HE President of the Republic of Turkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan, during which His Highness congratulated him on his victory in the presidential elections, wishing him success and the relations between the two countries further progress and prosperity. Read more.
-----------------------------
[8:00 pm Doha Time]
Thousands in Turkiye have began celebrating following Recep Tayyip Erdogan's victory in the Turkish elections according to preliminary results.
A supporter of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan celebrates in front of AK Party痴 headquarter in Istanbul on the day of the Presidential runoff vote in Istanbul, on May 28, 2023. (Photo by OZAN KOSE / AFP)
------------------------------
[7:30 pm Doha Time]
Recep Tayyip Erdogan retains Presidentship, Al Jazeera reports
------------------------------
[7:00 pm Doha Time]
Roughly 20% of votes to be counted before the final results could be announced. So far Erdogan leads.
------------------------------
Recep Tayyip Erdogan: 54.37%
— The Peninsula Qatar (@PeninsulaQatar) May 28, 2023
Kemal Kilicdaroglu: 45.63%
Votes counted: 71.45% pic.twitter.com/jIYoPnAA9U
------------------------------
[6:30 pm Doha Time]
As it stands, Erdogan has 55.80% of the vote while Kilicdaroglu has 44.20%
------------------------------
#Erdogan gets 57.95% and #Kilicdaroglu 42.02% after 36% votes counted: Al Jazeera#TurkishElections #Turkey #Turkiye pic.twitter.com/Jbqkim8vbo
— The Peninsula Qatar (@PeninsulaQatar) May 28, 2023
------------------------------
6:00 pm [Doha Time]
Erdogan gets 59.95% and Kilicdaroglu 40.05% after 24% votes counted: Al Jazeera
Observers watch as officials count votes on the day of the second round of the presidential election in Istanbul on May 28, 2023. (Photo by Yasin AKGUL / AFP)
------------------------------
5:30 pm [Doha Time]
Counting votes is underway.
------------------------------
5:00 pm [Doha Time]
The polling stations for the Turkish presidential elections are closing.
------------------------------
4:50 [Doha Time]
Voting irregularities reported
A number of incidents concerning voting irregularities have been reported, with ballot observers being attacked and one instance of a dead person listed as eligible to vote.
According to Al Jazeera, Turkish woman Aynur Usta said her deceased mother, who passed away eight years ago, was put on a voter list in Istanbul’s Bahcelievler suburb.
Voting irregularities are not unheard of in Turkish elections, but are often isolatedusually occur in rural areas and are often isolated incidents.
A voter casts their ballot during the presidential runoff vote in Diyarbakir, on May 28, 2023 (Photo by ILYAS AKENGIN / AFP)
------------------------------
3:45 pm [Doha Time]
Turkiye police launch probe into social media disinformation
The office of Istanbul’s chief public prosecutor has launched an investigation into social media accounts that allegedly spread misinformation and provocative posts, according to TRT.
A voter arrives to cast their ballot during the presidential runoff vote in Diyarbakir, on May 28, 2023. Photo by ILYAS AKENGIN / AFP
------------------------------
12:23 pm [Doha Time]
Erdogan casts his vote from Istanbul
According to an Al Jazeera report, Erdogan and his wife have arrived at Uskudar Saffet Celebi High School school to cast their votes.
Crowds cheered the incumbent president as he made his way inside the polling station in the Uskudar neighborhood, where the Turkish president lives, although this neighborhood did not give all its votes to Erdogan in the last round, said Al Jazeera.
Turkey's President and presidential candidate of AK Party Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R), flanked by his wife Emine Erdogan (L), casts his ballot on the day of the Presidential runoff vote in a school in Istanbul. Photo by MURAD SEZER / POOL / AFP
------------------------------
12:14 pm [Doha Time]
Voters in fashion turn up at Turkish polling booths with unexpected companions
While a Turkish voter turned up at the polling station with a lamb, another turned up wearing Ottoman-era clothes with a pet parrot.#Turkey #TurkishElections #Turkiye pic.twitter.com/IIj6o8rK06
— The Peninsula Qatar (@PeninsulaQatar) May 28, 2023
------------------------------
12:11 pm [Doha Time]
Results expected earlier than in the first round
Results for the Turkish presidential runoff are expected to be announced earlier compared to the first round.
In a televised statement, the chairman of the Supreme Election Board Ahmet Yener, said: “Since only presidential candidates are taking place in this election, we think the results will come in sooner.”
He explained that counting took longer on May 14 because the ballot included 24 parties running for parliament and four candidates running for president.
A broadcast ban on announcing results is likely to be lifted around 6:30pm local time (15:30 GMT).
A woman casts her ballot at a polling station on the day of the Presidential runoff vote in Ankara on May 28, 2023. Photo by Adem ALTAN / AFP
------------------------------
12:05 pm [Doha Time]
Over 47,000 newly eligible voters
More people became eligible to vote in the Turkish presidential election runoff on Sunday.
According to Al Jazeera, an additional 47,523 people became eligible to vote compared to the first round of the elections due to some voters who turned 18, between May 14 to the second round of the elections.
“There are 60 million voters in Turkey. They were joined by more than 47,000 new voters from the last round because they turned 18,” Al Jazeera stated.
Women wait to cast their ballot at a polling station on the day of the Presidential runoff vote in Ankara. Photo by Adem ALTAN / AFP
------------------------------
11:39 am [Doha Time]
Erdogan expected to vote soon in Istanbul
Erdogan is expected to vote in the next couple of hours in Istanbul, after which he will travel to the capital of Ankara, stated Al Jazeera’s Sinem Koseoglu in Istanbul.
He is expected to arrive to the polling station in the country’s first domestically produced electric vehicle, which he has promoted during the campaign.
As voting continues much more quickly than the first round, the balance of the Kurdish and nationalist votes remains a challenge for both sides.
The country’s election commission may also consider dropping the ban on media to discuss election results earlier than planned, according to Al Jazeera’s Sami Zeidan, as results may be out earlier than expected.
------------------------------
11:31 am [Doha Time]
Polling stations in Turkey during the country's first-ever presidential election runoff
Polling stations in Turkey during the country's first-ever presidential election runoff#TurkishElections #Turkiye #Turkey
— The Peninsula Qatar (@PeninsulaQatar) May 28, 2023
???? Live coverage of Turkiye's presidential election runoff 2023https://t.co/RDDU18Fu9P pic.twitter.com/Xvb3BAg8Pd
------------------------------
10:41 am [Doha Time]
Voter turnout larger than first-round elections
Al Jazeera reporter Sinem Koseoglu says voter turnout appears to be larger than the first round as Turks head to polling stations during the country's first-ever presidential election runoff.
It also stated that "lines are moving fairly quickly as the process to vote in the runoffs is much easier than the first" with voters having to choose between just two candidates.
“[People] have an appetite” to vote, the report added.
Voters leave a polling station in a government school on the day of the Presidential runoff vote in Adana. Photo by Can EROK / AFP
------------------------------
10:23 am [Doha Time]
Earthquake victims provided free transport to vote
Evacuees from Turkiye’s earthquake zone travelled back to their home provinces from all corners of the country to vote, reported Al Jazeera’s Andrew Wilks.
Kirikkale Deputy Governor Ahmet Sait Kurnaz said some 300 earthquake victims had been provided with free transport by disaster agency AFAD to return to their hometowns and villages to vote.
A photograph shows ballots depicting the two candidates, Recep Tayyip Erdogan (L) and Kemal Kilicdaroglu on the day of the Presidential runoff vote in a polling station in a government school in Istanbul on May 28, 2023.
------------------------------
09:18 am [Doha Time]
In Photos: Voters cast their ballots at a polling station in Istanbul during Turkiye's presidential run-off election.
A woman casts her ballot at a polling station during the presidential elections in Istanbul on May 28, 2023. (Photo by Ozan Kose / AFP)
A man casts his ballot at a polling station during the presidential elections in Istanbul on May 28, 2023. (Photo by OZAN KOSE / AFP)
------------------------------
08:53 am [Doha Time]
Turkiye begins the presidential runoff election on Sunday as voters head to polling stations across the country to elect a president for a five-year term. Polls opened at 8am local time on Sunday in Turkiye and will end at 5pm on the same day.
In the first round of voting on May 14, Recep Tayyip Erdogan edged ahead of his main opposition challenger with 49.5 percent of support, while Kemal Kilicdaroglu received 44.9 percent.
The elected president will set policy on Turkiye’s economy, security, domestic and international affairs.
