Erdogan Defies Naysayers to Extend His 20-Year Rule in Turkey
- Focus turns to his economic policy after election victory
- The Turkish lira fell again in early trading on Monday
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sealed an election victory that many pollsters thought unlikely just weeks ago, raising the prospect of more friction with Western governments and more uncertainty for investors.
The country’s longest-serving leader prevailed 52.2% to 47.8% in a runoff vote on Sunday against Kemal Kilicdaroglu to take his 20-year rule well into a third decade, based on results with almost all ballots counted. Erdogan appeared on top of a bus in Istanbul and thanked Turks for keeping him in power. “The winner of today is Turkey only,” he said.