Post #150729

Turkey election rivals both claim early lead but runoff likely Turkey appeared headed for a runoff presidential election with the parties of Tayyip Erdogan and opposition rival Kemal Kilicdaroglu each claiming the lead but sources in both camps admitting they may not clear the 50% threshold to win outright. Early results on Sunday put Erdogan comfortably ahead, but as the count continued his advantage eroded as expected. A runoff on May 28 appeared likely, which would delay a verdict on the president's two decades in power. Opinion polls before the election had given Kilicdaroglu, who heads a six-party alliance, a slight lead, and two polls on Friday even showed him above the 50% threshold. However most had suggested a tight margin. read more