Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has won a critical parliamentary election, regaining the majority it lost in June. BBC reports:
With almost all ballots counted, the state-run Anadolu news agency said the AKP had won 49.4% of the vote, with the main opposition CHP on 25.4%. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said voters had “shown that they prefer action and development to controversy”.
The pro-Kurdish HDP crossed the 10% threshold needed to claim seats. The nationalist MHP will also take seats in Ankara. In a statement, President Erdogan said the electorate had “given proof of their strong desire for the unity and integrity” of Turkey.
Early on Monday, he called on the world to respect Turkey’s national will. Mr Erdogan called the vote after the AKP lost its parliamentary majority for the first time in 13 years in June and attempts to form a coalition government failed. Speaking from the balcony of the AKP headquarters in the capital, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu welcomed the new result, saying: “You saw the dirty games played in our country, and you have changed the game”.
