Despite trailing behind Erdogan in the presidential election and failing to win the majority in parliament, the opposition leader remains steadfast in his assertion that he will emerge victorious in the upcoming runoff. Kemal Kiliçdaroglu, the presidential candidate of the Nation's Alliance, has declared, "I am here, ready to fight."
"I'm right here, yes, right here. And you are here too. I promise you, I will fight until the very end. I am here!" he passionately affirmed in a video posted on his Twitter account on Monday.
Earlier in the day, Kiliçdaroglu tweeted, addressing the public, "Dear People, we have been working tirelessly since yesterday. Don't ever lose hope. I will stand tall. I will share my comprehensive analysis of the situation with you. Then, together, we will rise and secure victory in this election. Ultimately, it will be the voice of our nation that prevails."
Accompanying Kiliçdaroglu on the campaign trail are Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu and Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavas, whom he declared his vide presidential candidates. Throughout the election night, they held several press conferences, asserting that Kiliçdaroglu was leading the race. However, they accused the ruling coalition of repeatedly challenging the opposition's favorable ballot box results, causing unnecessary delays in the final announcement.
The presidential and parliamentary elections, which took place on May 14, witnessed President Recep Tayyip Erdogan securing 49.50% of the votes, while Kiliçdaroglu garnered 44.89%. As neither candidate reached the required threshold of 50%, a second round of voting is scheduled for May 28, featuring only Erdogan and Kiliçdaroglu.
In the parliamentary race, the ruling AKP-led Cumhur Ittifaki emerged triumphant, capturing a majority by securing 321 out of 600 seats.
Source: English Bianet
