Istanbul: Turkey’s six-party opposition coalition, which nominated Kemal Kilicdaroglu as its common candidate in the presidential race, has accepted the results of the second round of the election and will learn lessons from them, Good Party leader Meral Aksener said on Sunday.
“Voter opinion is the main indicator for us, there is nothing more important than the voters’ will. The voters have expressed their point of view. We need to take that message, understand it, and take the necessary action … We will learn the lessons after this election. Tomorrow is important to us — it is the first day of work,” Aksener told a press conference.
She also congratulated Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on his victory and pledged that her party will continue its political activities. On Monday night, the six opposition parties in the alliance will hold a meeting at the headquarters of the Republican People’s Party in Ankara, at Kilicdaroglu’s invitation, to take stock of the situation, Aksener added.
Earlier on Sunday, Kilicdaroglu spoke in Ankara for the first time since the preliminary results of a presidential runoff put him behind Erdogan, claiming that it was “the most unfair election in years” and promising to continue the struggle for democracy. He did not explicitly say whether he conceded his defeat or would contest the election results.
Turkey’s Supreme Election Council chief said Erdogan won the election with 52.14% of the vote after 99.43% of the ballots were counted. Kilicdaroglu received 47.86% of the vote.
