The AKP earned 317 seats in the 550-seat Parliament, shy of the 330 required.
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Three bomb attacks in recent months on political and activist rallies across Turkey, blamed on the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), shocked the Turkish public, killing 139 people. Turkey has also emerged as a key player in Europe’s refugee crisis, winning concessions over visas and membership talks from the European Union in exchange for promises to help stem the flow of migrants.
With a dramatic gain that few had predicted, the ruling party’s gamble to hold new elections paid off. Supporters at the party’s Ankara and Istanbul headquarters waived flags in rapturous celebrations.
“As exporters, we hope to see more focus on achieving structural reforms, which aim to boost exports and industry-based production, maintaining the rule of law and strengthening the independence of courts”, he said.
Turnout in the election was about 87 percent among the 54 million people eligible to vote at more than 175,000 polling stations. “Over 87 per cent of the people have turned out”, said freelance journalist Dorian Jones, reporting for CBC from Istanbul. Erdogan can now negotiate without regard to an opposition party.
Erdogan’s unwillingness to accept a legitimate, democratic election result, and his desire to politicize an office that is nominally non-partisan – the presidency – are just two of many signs that he is tightening his grip on power. However this will not be enough for the party to carry out Erdogan’s highly desired constitutional amendments allowing him to grab more power in a one-man power style.
According to the official Anadolu agency, with nearly all ballots counted, the AKP had won 49.4% of the vote, while the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) won 25.4%.
In a statement after his party’s win, Erdogan said the result “delivered an important message” to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party that “oppression and bloodshed can not coexist with democracy”.
“The whole world must show respect”.
During the election campaign, Erdogan declared that only he and Davutoglu could guarantee security, criss-crossing the country with the message: “It’s me or chaos”.
The AKP lost its majority for the first time in 13 years in June when the pro-Kurdish People’s Democratic Party entered parliament for the first time.
Erdogan, whose current post is largely ceremonial, has long wanted a new constitution that would shift Turkey from its current parliamentary system to a presidential one that would vest executive power in his hands.
It said the campaign was characterised by “unfairness” and “fear” after a surge in violence.
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The HDP favours the resumption of peace efforts to end the Kurdish conflict. The European Observer mission urged Erdogan to unite the polarised country of 77 million, which is reeling from five months of political strife and resurgent violence between the PKK and Turkish armed forces.
