ANKARA
Nearly twice as many overseas Turks have turned out to vote in the June 7 general election than did in last August’s presidential election, Turkey’s foreign minister said on Monday.
Mevlut Cavusoglu said 35.98 percent of registered voters had cast their ballots in Turkish embassies and consulates abroad or at polling stations at airports and border crossings.
In the presidential election, 18.94 percent of the overseas electorate had voted.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Cavusoglu described the turnout as a “democracy fest”.
Polling stations at 112 embassies and consulates in 54 countries closed on Sunday but the border crossing ballot boxes will remain open until 5 p.m. local time (1500GMT) on June 7.
Nearly 3 million Turkish nationals living abroad are entitled to vote in the election, according to the Supreme Election Board.
Turkey had the second-highest voter turnout among developed democracies in the 2011 general election, according to the Washington-based Pew Research Center, when more than 84 percent went to the polls.
Turks will elect 550 deputies to the Grand National Assembly from 20 political parties in the country's 25th general election.
