Erdogan's main rival accepts election results
Former presidential candidate of main opposition party Muharrem Ince denies receiving threats
By Merve Aydogan and Cansu Dikme
ANKARA
The former presidential candidate of Turkey’s main opposition party on Monday accepted the election results.
“I accept the election results,” Muharrem Ince said, addressing a news conference at the Republican People’s Party (CHP) headquarters in the capital Ankara.
Turkey on Sunday went to the polls for presidential and parliamentary elections.
Ince said the Supreme Election Council's (YSK) results tally with CHP observers' findings.
"There were no meaningful differences in numbers and rates between the reports that observers have conveyed to us and [those of] the YSK. And the differences that existed would not have changed the overall outcome. Thus, I accept the election results," he said.
Separately, Ince denied claims he had received any threats.
"Let me begin with the false reports circulating in the social media... All of them are lies. There is no such thing. No one threatened me," he said.
He also described those circulating the false reports in the social media as "sick-minded", "schizophrenia" people.
Though Ince will not be a CHP deputy, he affirmed to continue his efforts towards March 2019 municipality elections.
Regarding a question whether he had spoken to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Ince said: "No, I have not. That is also one of the lies circulating in the social media. I was dealing with the reports. I did not speak to him."
He also said that he had yet to congratulate Erdogan. "I will, there is still time."
Earlier on Monday, Sadi Guven, head of the YSK, said that with 99.2 percent of ballot boxes opened, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan won an absolute majority in the presidential election with 52.5 percent of the vote, while his top rival Muharrem Ince lagged behind at 30.6 percent.
In the parliamentary polls, along with the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), the Justice and Development (AK) Party's election ally, the People's Alliance won 53.6 percent of the votes, with 99.1 percent of ballot boxes opened.
