Erdogan falls short of outright win, round 2 next: Top updates on Turkey polls

Turkey Elections: The main opposition party led by Kemal Kilicdaroglu were unable to beat Erdogan.

As Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan faced his toughest election test in two decades, he defied pollsters coming within a fraction of a percentage point of winning presidential ballot. The process moves to a runoff on May 28 between Erdogan and his much-touted rival Kemal Kilicdaroglu.

Turkey Elections: Supporters of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan holds a flag of his portrait outside the AK Party headquarters after polls closed. (AFP)

Amid Turkey's most dire economic crisis since the 1990s, Erdogan retained control of parliament and even won in regions hit by the deadly February earthquake that claimed more than 50,000 lives.

Here are top updates on Turkey's election:

1. The main opposition party led by Kemal Kilicdaroglu were unable to beat Erdogan. “Don't despair. We will stand up and take this election together,” Kilicdaroglu said.
2. Turkey's election officials confirmed that there would be a second round because the remaining uncounted votes would not swing the outcome.
3. Erdogan secured 49.5 percent of the vote and Kilicdaroglu picked up 44.9 percent. Nationalist candidate Sinan Ogan won 5.2 percent while official turnout reached a record 88.9 percent.
4. Observers from the council of Europe said the election was "marked by an unlevel playing field but still competitive".
5. US President Joe Biden is "looking forward to working with whoever" wins the election, the White House said praising the country for holding a peaceful vote.
6. "We congratulate the Turkish people for expressing their desires at the ballot box in a peaceful way," National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said.
7. Erdogan has governed Turkey as either prime minister or president since 2003.
8. In a tweet, Erdogan said the votes for him confirmed the nation's trust in him. “God willing we will have a historic win by increasing our votes from May 14 and emerging victorious on May 28 elections,” he said.