ANKARA – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was on Sunday leading atightly-contested presidential election in early counting as he seeks a newmandate in the face of a revitalised opposition and weakening economy.

Turkish voters had for the first time cast ballots for both president andparliament in the snap polls, with Erdogan looking for a first roundknockout and an overall majority for his ruling Justice and DevelopmentParty (AKP) to extend his 15-year grip on power.

In the presidential poll, Erdogan has over 58 percent against his nearestrival Muharrem Ince of the secular Republican People s Party (CHP) withover 27 percent, state-run Anadolu news agency said, based on a 27 percentvote count.

Erdogan needs over 50 percent to retain the presidency in the first roundbut these are still early results and the outcome could yet changedrastically.

Trailing were Meral Aksener of the nationalist (Iyi) Good Party with overseven percent and Selahattin Demirtas of the pro-Kurdish PeoplesDemocratic Party (HDP) with under six percent.

A count of less than 10 percent for the parliamentary election also showedthat Erdogan s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) was well aheadand set for an overall majority. But again this can change sharply.——————————

Erdoogan had faced an energetic campaign by the Ince, who has rivalled theincumbent s charisma and crowd-pulling on the campaign trail, and a strongopposition alliance in the legislative poll.

“I hope for the best for our nation,” Ince said as he cast his ballot inhis native port town of Yalova south of Istanbul, vowing to spend the nightat the headquarters of Turkey s election authority in Ankara to ensure afair count.

Voting in Istanbul along with his son-in-law and Energy Minister BeratAlbayrak, Erdogan said he expected turnout to be strong in an indication of”how mature democracy is in Turkey”.

The CHP said it had recorded violations in particular in the southeasternprovince of Sanliurfa, although Erdogan insisted there was no major problem.

“I will protect your rights. All we want is a fair competition. Have nofear and don t believe in demoralising reports,” Ince said after pollsclosed.

Erdogan has overseen historic change in Turkey since his Islamic-rootedruling party first came to power in 2002 after years of secular domination.But critics accuse the Turkish strongman, 64, of trampling on civilliberties and autocratic behaviour.

Although Erdogan dominated airtime on a pliant mainstream media, Incefinished his campaign with eye-catching mass rallies, including a megameeting in Istanbul on Saturday attended by hundreds of thousands of people.

The stakes are particularly high as the new president will be the first toenjoy enhanced powers under a new constitution agreed in an April 2017referendum strongly backed by Erdogan.

As he cast his vote, Erdogan said the changes marked a “democraticrevolution”, although his opponents regard the most recent phase of hisrule differently.

The president had for the last two years ruled under a state of emergencyimposed in the wake of the 2016 failed coup, with tens of thousandsarrested in an unprecedented crackdown which cranked up tensions with theWest.

Erdogan, whose mastery of political rhetoric is acknowledged even bycritics, has won a dozen elections but is now fighting against the backdropof increasing economic woes.

Inflation has zoomed well into double digits — with popular concern oversharp rises in staples like potatoes and onions — while the Turkish lirahas lost some 25 percent in value against the US dollar this year.

“At each election, I come with hope. But this year I have a lot more faith,but we ll see,” said Hulya Ozdemiral as she cast her ballot in Istanbul. -APP/AFP