Turkey election: counting underway after polls close

Early results suggest a big win for Erdoğan’s AKP. According to state media the AKP has secured more than 56% of the vote, with 22% of the ballots counted. The main losers appear to be the Nationalist CHP with only 15% and the HDP holding on to the 13% it secured in June. But these early results should be treated with a great deal of caution.

Of the 16 parties registered to contest the election, opinion polls suggest four parties could pass the 10 percent threshold to gain seats in the assembly.

Following the June vote, the Justice and Development Party (AK) Party was returned as the largest party with 258 seats. The Republican People’s Party (CHP) came second with 132 seats while the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) won 80 seats each. A deputy from both the CHP and MHP have since become independents.

According to the Supreme Election Council, the percentage share of the national vote in June was 40.87 percent for the AK Party, 24.95 percent for the CHP, 16.29 percent for the MHP and 13.12 percent for the HDP. Turnout was 83.92 percent in Turkey and 32.5 percent among overseas voters.

Sunday’s vote is being held as no party won an overall majority and coalition talks failed to produce a government by the 45-day deadline initiated when President Recep Tayyip Erdogan asked Prime MInister Ahmet Davutoglu to form a government on July 9.

Anadolu Agency & The Guardian