Erdogan Confident as Turkey Goes to a Runoff

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan casts his vote in Turkey's general election on May 14, 2023 in Istanbul. 

Photographer: Umit Bektas/Getty Images

Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan proved polls wrong in the first round of presidential elections on Sunday, garnering a comfortable lead despite failing to secure an outright victory in the toughest battle of his 20-year rule.

There’ll be a second round on May 28, when Erdogan will face his top rival, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, who has the backing of a broad opposition alliance.