Ankara, June 25: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has won a new five-year term after getting nearly 53 percent of votes in the first round of presidential election. His closest rival Muharrem Ince managed to get only 31 percent votes. After this victory, Erdogan will now assume sweeping new power which he won in a controversial referendum last year. The prime minister’s post will also be abolished.

The 64-year-old president declared victory in Istanbul before returning to Ankara to deliver a triumphant speech at 3:00 am to tens of thousands of supporters from the balcony of the headquarters of his Justice and Development Party (AKP). "Turkey has given a lesson in democracy to the entire world," he added, pointing to a turnout of 88 percent.

His main rival Muharrem Ince of the Republican People's Party (CHP), who had challenged Erdogan with an energetic campaign and earlier accused the authorities of ‘manipulation’. After the results, Ince termed he the election as unfair. According to Anadolu's results, Erdogan won 52.5 percent of the vote in the presidential polls, with Ince trailing on 30.7. Final results are due to be published by the Supreme Election Board (YSK) later this week, but its chairman Sadi Guven declared Erdogan the winner. In the last presidential elections, Erdogan had won 51.8 percent votes.

With Turkey holding parliamentary and presidential elections on the same day for the first time, Erdogan was also able to enjoy an overall majority in parliament with the help of his allies from the right-wing Nationalist Movement Party (MHP). The AKP won 293 seats in the 600 MP chamber, but the MHP did far better than expected, winning 50 seats and giving their alliance a clear majority, according to the results published by Anadolu.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir congratulated the Erdogan. Before becoming president in 2014, Erdogan served as prime minister of the country from 2003 to 2014.

Erdogan, whose victory was wider than predicted by many analysts, immediately vowed to "rapidly" implement the new presidential system agreed in an April 2017 referendum that opponents fear will give him autocratic powers. According to the referendum,  the president in Turkey can serve only two terms, and this will count as Erdogan's first term under the new constitution. Consequently, he could now stay in power until 2028.

(With inputs from PTI)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 25, 2018 06:48 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).