Turkey: Erdogan officially declared winner of presidential election June 25 /update 2

Event

On the morning (local time) of Monday, June 25, Turkey's Supreme Election Council pronounced incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdogan the winner of the June 24 general elections. According to Turkish state media, President Erdogan won 52.7 percent of votes counted, while the next runner up, Muharrem Ince, received 31 percent of votes. In addition, President Erdogan's party, the AK Party, is reportedly in the lead in the country's parliamentary elections, with an estimated 43 percent of votes; Turkey's main opposition party, the CHP, received 23 percent. Turkey's three main opposition parties have accused state media of manipulating election results, but Ince conceded the election and accepted the results on June 25. The election saw record turnout, with 87 percent of eligible voters casting ballots.

Political gatherings, including demonstrations and protests, are possible in the coming days across the country, notably in Istanbul and Ankara, and may be held with little notice. A heightened security presence and traffic disruptions are anticipated around any such gatherings.

Advice

Individuals in Turkey are advised to monitor the sociopolitical situation and avoid all demonstrations as a precaution.

On a related note, due to the risk of terrorism, individuals should maintain a high degree of vigilance, report any suspicious objects or behavior to the relevant authorities, and be particularly cautious when visiting sites deemed particularly likely to be targeted in an attack (public transportation, train stations, ports, airports, public or government buildings, embassies or consulates, international organizations, schools and universities, religious sites, markets, hotels, and restaurants frequented by foreigners/Westerners, festivals, etc.).