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WORLD NEWS Tuesday 26 June 2018

Erdogan wins in Turkey, gets ready to assume sweeping powers

By SUZAN FRASER be confirmed by the
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — electoral board, Erdogan
Recep Tayyip Erdogan, garnered 52.5 percent
who has dominated Turkish of the presidential vote,
politics for the past 15 while his ruling Justice
years, will extend his rule and Development Party,
and take on sweeping or AKP, won 42.5 percent
new powers after his of the parliamentary
victory in the country's vote. Erdogan's closest
landmark presidential and contender, Muharrem Ince
parliamentary elections. of the secular opposition
Turkey's High Electoral Republican People's Party,
Board on Monday won 30.7 percent support.
declared Erdogan the Erdogan's AKP fell short of
winner of Sunday's dual winning a parliamentary
votes, which usher in a new majority but a better-than-
system in which the prime expected performance by
minister's post is eliminated its nationalist ally should
and executive powers are allow the party to control
transferred to the president, the 600-seat legislature.
who rules with only limited Official voting results will be
checks and balances. announced on July 5.
The Turkish leader is A day after the elections, people walk past a billboard with the image of Turkey's president Recep International observers
accused by critics of Tayyip Erdogan, in Istanbul, Monday, June 25, 2018. criticized the election
adopting increasingly Associated Press Monday, saying it took
authoritarian tactics but place on "uneven playing
is loved by supporters for rights as well as Turkey's and alleged members of stifling dissent. field" tilted in favor of
bringing prosperity and closer ties with Russia. a movement led by U.S.- "Turkey made its choice in Erdogan and his ruling
stability to the country that Russian President Vladimir based cleric Fethullah favor of a more determined party, which "enjoyed
lies at the crossroads of Putin sent Erdogan a Gulen, whom he accuses fight against the PKK undue advantage,
Europe and Asia. Erdogan congratulatory telegram of orchestrating a 2016 (Kurdistan Workers Party) including in media." Some
may be facing rough on Monday, one of the first failed coup against his and (Gulenists)," Erdogan observers were obstructed
times ahead, however, world leaders to do so. government. Gulen denies said. "We will go after terror in their mission, they said.
because analysts predict In his victory speech, involvement. organizations with stronger "There is some work to be
an economic downturn for Erdogan said he would Erdogan's government determination." done by the authorities to
Turkey amid rising inflation work toward achieving imposed a state of Under the new system, ensure that future elections
and the struggling lira his goal of making Turkey emergency after the Erdogan himself will in Turkey are in line with
currency. one of the world's top 10 coup that is still in place. It appoint ministers, vice democratic standards
His win could also deepen economies by 2023, when has arrested some 50,000 presidents and high-level and commitments," said
Turkey's rift with its Western the Turkish Republic marks people and fired than bureaucrats, issue decrees, Audrey Glover, who
and NATO allies, who are its centenary. 110,000 civil servants in a prepare the budget and headed a delegation
already concerned by He also pledged a more massive crackdown under decide on security policies. from the Organization for
the country's setbacks in "determined" fight against the state of emergency According to unofficial Security and Cooperation
democracy and human outlawed Kurdish rebels that critics say is aiming at results that have yet to in Europe.q