Kılıçdaroğlu Reassures His Supporters Saying "We Are Leading"

Kamal Kılıçdaroğlu

In a single statement posted on his social media account, Kamal Kılıçdaroğlu, the Nation's Alliance candidate in the presidential election, said, "We are leading." In a notable move, the ruling Justice and Development Party led by Erdogan recently stated that, according to the information received, the Republican People's Party is ahead.

Gradually, it became clear where the Turkish voters are leaning in today's presidential and parliamentary elections. Both Istanbul's mayor, Ekrem İmamoğlu, and Ankara's mayor, Mansur Yavaş, have fiercely criticized the official Anadolu Agency for its blatant bias in favor of President Ragab Tayyip Erdogan, indicating that what it broadcasts are lies and not factual. They added that Anadolu's actions were not new, pointing out similar behavior in 2014 and 2019. Anadolu had begun to announce the results, claiming that Erdogan was leading in the preliminary results with 59.5%. The government-run TRT networks followed suit. Despite the Turkish President's lead in the elections thus far, after 47.5% of the votes counted, the gap between him and his closest rival, the Nation's Alliance candidate, is shrinking. Analysis suggests that the election may be headed for a second round.