World leaders congratulate Erdogan on election results

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President Recep Tayyip Erdogan received congratulations from Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Palestine’s Mahmoud Abbas, Azerbaijan’s Haider Aliyev, Hungary’s Viktor Orban and Bosnia’s Bakir Izetbegovic, Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev late Sunday as the preliminary results suggested a victory for the incumbent president.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on election win early Monday.

Putin congratulated Erdoğan on his re-election, saying the result of the vote pointed to the Turkish leader’s “great political authority” and mass support, the Kremlin said.

Putin “stressed that the results of the vote fully speak of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s great political authority (and) mass support of the course conducted under his leadership to solve Turkey’s pressing social and economic tasks (and) strengthen the country’s position on the international arena,” the Kremlin said.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev was the first head of state to call his Turkish counterpart after the results.

In a phone call, Aliyev said Turkey has grown under Erdoğan’s leadership, adding that Turkey’s economy has scored great successes and Ankara has cemented its position internationally.

During the conversation, the leaders also expressed their belief in the progress of the brotherly relations between Turkey and Azerbaijan in all areas.

The statement also said Aliyev invited Erdoğan to an official visit to Azerbaijan, an offer which the Turkish president accepted.

Shortly after, the Bosniak member of the tripartite Presidency of Bosnia Bakir Izetbegovic, Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov, Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama and Qatar Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani also extended their congratulations.

Meanwhile Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said “I wish Turkey more success, progress, and stability,” congratulating Erdoğan “the success of the Turkish democratic process and his victory in the presidential elections.”

Erdoğan, according to the agency, stressed Turkey’s “continued support” for the Palestinian people and “their just cause and their right to freedom and stability.”

Hungarian Prime Minister Vcitor Orban became the first EU leader to call Erdoğan to congratulate him on his election success.

Greek Foreign Minister Nikolaos Kotzias and Guinea’s Mamadi Toure called Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu to congratulate him on AK Party’s success in the elections.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic also wished Erdoğan success in carrying out his duties.

“Serbia places great importance on its true friendship with Turkey and is committed to fostering good, solid relations. We will continue to be a reliable partner to Turkey and its leadership, which is ready to protect and defend values and principles in more challenging times,” Vucic said in a written statement.

“You have made a new victory on the road to the progress and prosperity of Turkey and the great Turkish nation, and I am confident that your determination will remain a trademark of your leadership in facing future challenges,” Vucic said in a telephone conversation with Erdoğan, according to the statement.

Pakistani President Mamnoon Hussain “extended heartfelt felicitations to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of Turkey on his victory in the elections”.

Hussain underscored that the large turnout and the peaceful conduct of the parliamentary and presidential elections was a testimony to the strength and vibrancy of Turkey’s democratic values and institutions.

Hussain expressed hope that Turkey would continue on its path of progress and prosperity under Erdoğan’s leadership and that historic and unparalleled bilateral relations between Pakistan and Turkey would continue to grow.

Kuwait’s news agency KUNA said Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah praised the distinguished and historic relations between the two countries, expressing hope these ties would grow deeper in the days to come with Erdoğan’s re-election.

Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo also congratulated Erdoğan in a statement on Twitter.

“Congratulations to President @RT_Erdogan on his successful presidential election. The government & people of Somalia congratulate the people of Turkey on their historic presidential and parliamentary elections. Turkey a valuable partner of Somalia,” he wrote.

“My sincere congratulations to President Erdogan and the AK Party and to the Turkish people for their winning in the presidential and parliamentary elections,” tweeted Ezzat al-Rishq, a senior leader of the Hamas movement.

With almost 97 percent of votes counted in Turkey’s presidential elections, incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is set to emerge as the winner with a 52.5 percent lead.

Main opposition Republican People’s Party’s (CHP) presidential candidate Muharrem Ince received 30.75 percent of the votes.

Meanwhile, the newly formed Good Party’s (İP) presidential candidate Meral Akşener got 7.3 percent of the votes and the pro-PKK Peoples’ Democratic Party’s (HDP) candidate Selahattin Demirtaş won 8.2 percent.