EU hopes post-elex Turkey to remain committed partner

By Nilay Kar Onum

ISTANBUL

Turkey will hopefully “remain a committed partner” for the European Union, a European Commission spokesman said Monday.

Margaritis Schinas was speaking during a daily press briefing in Brussels after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan won an absolute majority in Turkey’s presidential election on Sunday.

"We hope that under President Erdogan’s leadership, Turkey will remain a committed partner for the European Union on major issues of common interest such as migration, security, regional stability and fight against terrorism,” he said.

According to the Supreme Election Council's (YSK) Erdogan won an absolute majority in the presidential election with 52.5 percent of the vote, while his closest rival lagged behind at 30.6 percent, with 99.9 percent of ballot receptacles opened.

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 99.9 percent of ballot boxes opened.

Erdogan has served as president since 2014 -- Turkey's first popularly elected president. Before that, he served as prime minister from 2003 to 2014.

Erdogan is now Turkey’s first president under the new presidential system of government, which was chosen by Turkish voters in an April 2017 referendum.