Photos: AA
Click to read the article in Turkish
People of Northern Cyprus will cast their ballots for a second time after the candidates in the country's presidential elections failed to secure more than 50 percent of the vote in the first round yesterday (October 11).
With 98.64 percent of ballot boxes opened so far, Prime Minister Ersin Tatar has garnered 32.45 percent, Bayrak Radio Television Corporation reported, citing unofficial data by the election authority.
President Mustafa Akıncı, an independent candidate, is the runner-up with 29.76 percent.
Tatar and Akıncı will face off in the second round on October 18.
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Electorates also voted on a referendum for a constitutional amendment to increase the number of high court judges.
While 49.80 percent of voters were in favor of the amendment, 50.20 percent voted against it, according to the count so far.
Speaking on the results, Tufan Erhurman, the candidate of the main opposition Republican Turkish Party, was quoted by Bayrak Radio Television Corporation as saying: "Participation in the elections was very low. As a party, we believe in democracy and respect the will of the people."
Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Kudret Özersay, an independent candidate, said on Facebook: "The rate of votes I received is far below my expectation, and it is at a level that requires me to review my political life."
Eleven candidates competed in the election, with seven running as independent candidates.
Some 198,867 registered voters cast ballots in 738 ballot boxes.
Speaking to reporters after the election, Tatar described the initial results of the first round of the polls as "a victory."
Higher turnout is expected in the second round
He pointed to the roughly 55 percent turnout by voters due to the novel coronavirus and said he expects a higher amount of participation in the second round.
"I believe that in the second round, more of our citizens will go to the ballot box and reflect their will at the election. I want to convey this call to all my citizens," he added.
"The real victory will be ours on October 18," he added.
Meanwhile, Akıncı, the incumbent, said he expects to continue in his post, according to Turkish News Agency-Cyprus (TAK).
Noting that a much more participatory process awaits them in the period after the second round of elections, he said: "I believe that with the support of our people, we will continue our duties as of the morning of October 19."
Akıncı said before the election that he was threatened by a senior official in Ankara not to participate in the election. (PT/VK)