Russian-Turkish relations: Erdogan’s re-election will ensure stability

Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey’s president

Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey's president

Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey’s president

The re-election of Turkey’s incumbent President Recep Erdogan will allow for the stable development of Russian-Turkish cooperation on key issues, including the Syria peace process, Leonid Slutsky, the chairman of the Russia’s lower house’s Committee on International Affairs, said on Monday.

On Sunday, Turkey held its early presidential and parliamentary elections. Erdogan secured 52.6 percent of the vote with 99 percent of ballots counted.

“Turkey is an important strategic partner for Russia. We are fighting terrorism together in Syria, taking steps to ensure security in the region.

“In this regard, Erdogan’s election will provide predictability in the development of Russian-Turkish relations, as well as our cooperation on key international issues, particularly Syrian settlement,” Slutsky told newsmen.

The lawmaker added that the early elections in Turkey were held “freely and democratically, with minimal violations.”

The incumbent president’s main opponent, Muharrem Ince from the Republican People’s Party, secured 30.7 per cent of the vote. Selahattin Demirtas from the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party received 8.4 per cent of the vote, followed by Meral Aksener from the IYI Party with 7.3 per cent.

The Felicity Party’s Temel Karamollaoglu and left-wing Patriotic Party’s Dogu Perincek got 0.9 per cent and 0.2 per cent of the vote, respectively.

With regard to the general election, the ruling Justice and Development Party secured 42.4 per cent of the vote with 98 per cent of the ballots counted.

The allied Nationalist Movement Party won 11.1 per cent, giving the People’s Alliance the parliamentary majority of 53.5 per cent.

The opposition Republican People’s Party got 22.7 per cent of the vote.

The pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party, with its 11.5 per cent, reached the 10-per cent threshold necessary to receive parliamentary mandates.

The IYI Party’s support currently stands at 10.0 per cent, and the Felicity Party received 1.4 per cent.

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