With at least two-thirds of ballots counted in Türkiye’s megacities Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir, incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his main challenger Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu are racing neck-to-neck in Istanbul and Ankara, unofficial preliminary data shows, for the critical presidential and parliamentary elections.
Erdoğan has so far clinched 47.01% in Istanbul, while Kılıçdaroğlu is barely ahead with 48.12% in the metropolis where 81.14% of the ballot boxes have been opened.
In the capital Ankara where 92.3% of ballot boxes have been counted, Erdoğan leads with 46.48% while Kılıçdaroğlu is at 46.54%.
In the western Izmir province, a known opposition stronghold that has opened 87.39% of the boxes so far, Kılıçdaroğlu’s votes are over 62.4% with Erdoğan securing 32.19%.
If either candidate fails to win more than 50% of the votes, a runoff is possible on May 28.
The two contenders have one other rival, minor candidate Sinan Oğan who has won 4.53% in Istanbul, 6.4% in Ankara and another 4.83% in Izmir, results show.
The ballot holds a fourth candidate, Muharrem Ince, who withdrew from the race three days before the polls opened. The Supreme Election Council (YSK) – Türkiye's election authority – has, however, affirmed the votes cast for him would be valid.
Votes were cast for Ince, but he failed to surpass 0.50% countrywide, garnering 0.37% in Istanbul, 0.37% in Ankara and 0.54% in Izmir.
Countrywide results so far place Erdoğan ahead by a large margin, 49.94%, with his rival Kılıçdaroğlu lagging behind over 5 percentage points at 44.3%, data reveals.
As for parliamentary polls, Türkiye has counted 85% of the ballots so far and Erdoğan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) is also pulling the lead with 36.02%.
Kılıçdaroğlu’s Republican People's Party (CHP) is at 24.59%.
A total of 25 parties are competing for 600 seats in the Turkish Parliament.
