World leaders congratulate Turkey’s Erdogan on election win

World
By William

World leaders congratulated Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after winning re-election in a historic runoff that represented the biggest challenge to his 20 years in power.

Erdogan won the Turkish presidency with 52.14 percent of the vote, Supreme Electoral Council head Ahmet Yener said on Sunday, making the results official.

With 99.43 percent of the ballot boxes open, Erdogan’s rival Kemal Kilicdaroglu received 47.86 percent of the vote, Yener said. With a difference of more than two million votes between the candidates, the rest of the uncounted votes will not change the result, he added.

The elections, in which more than 64 million Turks at home and abroad were eligible to vote, came against the backdrop of a cost-of-living crisis, with inflation reaching 85 percent in October and earthquakes in February that killed more than 50,000. people.

Erdogan, 69, who came to power in 2003, initially as prime minister, offered a vision for further development and pledged to continue the improvements his Justice and Development Party (AK) government had made.

The longest-serving leader of NATO member Turkey was tested like never before in what was widely seen as the country’s most sweeping election in its 100-year history as a post-Ottoman republic.

Without formally admitting defeat, Kilicdaroglu said: “My real sorrow is about the difficulties that await the country.”

Here are some responses from other countries:

Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Erdogan’s victory was proof that the Turkish people valued his selfless work and independent foreign policy.

“The election victory was a natural result of your selfless work as the head of the Republic of Turkey, a clear demonstration of the Turkish people’s support for your efforts to strengthen state sovereignty and conduct an independent foreign policy,” Putin said in a message. . to Erdogan, according to the Kremlin.

“We greatly appreciate your personal contribution to the strengthening of friendly Russian-Turkish relations and mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields,” Putin said.

Qatar

Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani of Qatar wished Erdogan success in his new term.

Translation: My dear brother Recep Tayyip Erdogan, congratulations on your victory. I wish you every success in your new term in office, achieving what the Turkish people aspire to in terms of progress and prosperity, and progress and growth for our strong bilateral relationships.

Ukraine

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy congratulated Erdogan on his victory and said he hoped to “strengthen the strategic partnership for the benefit of our countries, as well as to strengthen cooperation for the security and stability of Europe”.

Erdogan’s government had bought Russian missile defense systems, prompting the United States to expel Turkey from a US-led fighter jet project. But Ankara also helped broker a crucial deal that enabled Ukrainian grain shipments and averted a global food crisis.

Germany

In congratulating Erdogan, Chancellor Olaf Scholz noted how “deeply intertwined” the people and economies of both countries are, adding that “together we want to advance our common agenda with new impetus!”

Saudi Arabia

Ruler King Salman congratulated Erdogan on his presidential victory, state news agencies reported.

France

French President Emmanuel Macron said France and Turkey will “keep moving forward”.

“France and Turkey face huge challenges to face together. Return of peace in Europe, future of our Euro-Atlantic Alliance, Mediterranean. With President Erdogan, whom I congratulate on his re-election, we will continue to make progress,” Macron wrote on Twitter.

European Union

EU Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen congratulated Erdogan on winning a round of elections on Sunday.

“Congratulations @RTErdogan on your re-election as President of Türkiye. I look forward to working with you again in the coming years to deepen relations between the EU and TR,” Michel said in a tweet.

Von der Leyen also tweeted her congratulations.

“I look forward to continuing to build the relationship between the EU and Turkey. It is strategically important for both the EU and Türkiye to work to foster this relationship, for the sake of our people,” she said in a tweet.

Armenia

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said he looks forward to working towards “full normalization” between the two countries.

Sweden

Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson sent his congratulations via Twitter, stressing that the security of the two countries “is a future priority”.

Erdogan’s government vetoed Sweden’s bid to join NATO after Stockholm was accused of providing a safe haven for members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and Democratic Union Party (PYD) in Syria, who Ankara considers both as “terrorist” groups.

Israel

Israeli President Isaac Herzog said he was “convinced” that he and Erdogan “will continue to work together to strengthen and expand good ties between their countries.”

Libya

Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah described Erdogan’s “electoral victory” as a renewed confidence of the Turkish people in the president’s successful projects and policies.

Dbeibah’s Tripoli-based government of national unity is backed by Turkey against a rival government based in the east.

Hungary

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban praised Erdogan’s “undisputable electoral victory!”

Palestine

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh praised Erdogan and the Turkish people for their “electoral victory”.

Hamas political bureau head Ismail Haniyeh said: “I congratulate President Erdogan on his victory and I applaud the [Turkish] civilized attitude of people. We are looking forward to [their] support our cause and our Jerusalem.”

Palestinian supporters of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan celebrate his election success in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, May 28, 2023 [Ibraheem Abu Mustafa/Reuters]

Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan’s president Ilham Aliyev congratulated Erdogan in a phone call and invited him to Baku.

Iran

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi called Erdogan’s re-election “a sign of continued valuable trust from the Turkish people”.

“Our relationship with Turkey will continue in the next phase based on good neighborliness and shared interests,” he added.

Sudan

General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the military commander leading the Sudanese army against the paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces (RSF), congratulated Erdogan on winning another term in office.

Serbia

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic congratulated Erdogan and the Turkish people on their “electoral victory”.

Pakistan

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said in a tweet that Erdogan’s re-election was a “historic one”.

“He has been a pillar of support for the oppressed Muslims and an ardent voice for their inalienable rights,” he said.

Venezuela

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said he was celebrating the “triumph” of “brother and friend” Erdogan.

United Arab Emirates

UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan was among the leaders to congratulate Erdogan in the Middle East, where he has asserted Turkish influence, sometimes with military might.

Brazil

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva wished Erdogan a “good term with a lot of work” for the Turkish people.

Lula wrote on Twitter that Erdogan “can count on Brazil’s partnership in global cooperation for peace, in the fight against poverty and for the development of the world.”

Afghanistan

Maulvi Abdul Kabir, the acting prime minister, said: “I congratulate President Erdogan on winning the Turkish elections and on being elected President of Turkey.”

Malta

Maltese Foreign Minister Ian Borg said: “Our sincere congratulations on this important victory for President Erdogan”.

Algeria

Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune congratulated Erdogan on winning another term in office.

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