Turkey will have a runoff election on May 28 after longtime leaderΒ President Recep Tayyip ErdoganΒ was forced into aΒ second roundΒ with only a narrow lead over his rival, Kemal Kilicdaroglu.Β
Neither candidate achieved the required 50% to take the presidency outright, after 100% of ballot boxes were opened, according to Turkeyβs Supreme Election Council. All ballot boxes in the country were opened and the voter turnout rate is 88.92%, council chairman Ahmet Yener said.
But Kilicdaroglu now faces a tough battle to win the second round after Erdogan performed better than some opinion polls had suggested.
Official final results for Turkeyβs election will be announced on Friday, the chairman of Turkeyβs supreme election council Ahmet Yener said.