ISTANBUL: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday confronted the tough task of uniting his deeply divided country after winning a historic run-off election to extend his two-decade rule to 2028.
The four-point victory margin was Erdogan's narrowest of any past election, highlighting the sharp polarisation the conservative will contend with in his final term in office.
Erdogan, 69, sounded conciliatory in a victory speech to thousands of jubilant supporters gathered outside Ankara's presidential palace, calling on Turks to "come together in unity and solidarity".
Erdogan's elated supporters hailed the man they call "Reis" (chief) after he won the first run-off in Türkiye's history.
His opponent Kilicdaroglu defiantly vowed to "continue the struggle" against Erdogan and his AKP party, which has dominated Turkish politics since 2002.
Erdogan "will double down on his brand of populist policies... political polarisation is here to stay", said Emre Peker of the Eurasia Group consultancy.
Relieving Turks of the country's worst economic crisis since the 1990s is an urgent priority.
NATO partners are anxiously waiting for Ankara to approve Sweden's stalled bid to join the US-led defence alliance.
Erdogan has blocked the application, accusing Stockholm of sheltering Turkish opposition figures.
"Another five years of Erdogan means more of the geopolitical balancing act between Russia and the West," said Galip Dalay, an associate fellow at the Chatham House think tank.
"Türkiye and the West will engage in transactional cooperation wherever its interests dictate it," not joining Western sanctions on Moscow for the war in Ukraine and seeking economically profitable relationships, Dalay added.
US President Joe Biden and Erdogan are due to talk on Monday, presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin told television channel A Haber.
NATO issues and the delivery of US F-16 fighter jets to Türkiye are likely to be high on the agenda.
Russian President Vladimir Putin was one of the first leaders to congratulate Erdogan, and the Kremlin said it looked forward to achieving "very ambitious" goals with Türkiye.
Final election results will be confirmed after remaining objections are dealt with, the election authority chief was quoted.
Erdogan's inauguration ceremony, the nomination of a new cabinet and the sitting of the new parliament will follow. — AFP
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