About 500,000 expats vote for Türkiye presidential runoff elections

More than 470,000 Turkish citizens voted on the first day of the second round of presidential elections abroad and at border points in the republic. 

Some 452,000 citizens voted outside Türkiye, 19,500 at polling stations at airports, seaports and land checkpoints in the country, TASS reported on May 20 with reference to TRT TV channel.

On the morning of May 20, 156 polling stations opened in 73 countries. In total, more than 3,400 ballot boxes have been installed outside the republic. Some 3.6 million citizens will be able to vote in the elections, while about 47,000 Turks born before May 29, 2005, will vote for the first time. Voting abroad will last until May 24, although in some countries, depending on the number of citizens living there, voting will end earlier. Sites in 15 countries, including Azerbaijan, Israel, Kazakhstan and Russia, will be open until May 22 evening. The sites opened on May 20 at border checkpoints in Türkiye will continue to work until 17:00 on May 28, local time.

Türkiye's Supreme Electoral Council on May 19 announced the final results of the first round of presidential elections. Incumbent leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan won 49.52 per cent of the vote, his main rival Kemal Kilicdaroglu - 44.88 per cent. The third presidential candidate, Sinan Ogan, dropped out of the presidential race with 5.17 per cent of the vote. To win in the first round, the candidate had to get more than 50 per cent of the votes. Since the winner has not been identified, a second round of voting will take place on May 28, in which a simple majority will ensure victory.