(VOVWORLD) -Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday declared victory right after almost all of the votes counted of the runoff were announced.
 People take to the streets in Istanbul to celebrate Erdogan's victory after the second round of the presidential election. Photo: Aljazeera |
Erdogan won 52.14% of the votes in the second round of the presidential election, beating his challenger Kemal Kilicdaroglu, who won 47.86%.
Addressing a crowd of supporters, President Erdogan thanked them, saying the voters have given him the responsibilities to run the country for another five year term. “We have completed the second round of the presidential elections with the favor of our people,” Erdogan said.
People took to the streets in Istanbul and many other major cities to celebrate Erdogan's victory.
World leaders have sent congratulations and wished he will have a term that will benefit the Turkish people.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has congratulated Erdogan on his reelection as president. “He looks forward to further strengthening the cooperation between Turkey and the United Nations,” spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.
European Council President Charles Michel said in a tweet, “I look forward to working with you again to deepen EU-TR relations in the years to come.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a congratulatory message to Erdogan, saying Erdogan’s victory was evidence that the Turkish people appreciated his independent foreign policy, according to the Kremlin.