Erdogan's election victory praised around world

By Adel Abdelrheem Humaida Elfadol, Menna Ahmed and Abdel Rauof Arnaout

ANKARA (AA) - Prominent leaders and personalities from around the world on Monday continued to praise President Recep Tayyip Erdogan following his historic election win on Sunday.

Sudan's ruling National Congress Party said the Turkish election results indicate "Turkish nation's trust for AK Party and its alliances, and support for Erdogan and his party's policies."

The leader of the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, Abdurrahman Mustafa also congratulated the president over his election victory "which revealed the Turkish people's confidence in Erdogan's leadership". Mustafa added he hopes Turkey would continue supporting Syrians in establishing their own democratic and independent country.

In a Twitter message, the chairman of Qatar-based International Union of Muslim Scholars, Yousef al-Qaradawi, congratulated Erdogan and the Turkish nation "for their success in the democracy wedding".

The general observer of the Muslim Brotherhood in Sudan, Awadallah Hassan, also congratulated Erdogan over his election success in a Facebook post.

Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim expressed his "heartiest congratulations" in a letter to the Turkish president, in which he said: "I also congratulate the people of Turkey for their peaceful participation in their nation’s democratic process."

Ibrahim said Erdogan’s victory was also a victory for the Muslim world "in portraying a modern and progressive face of Islam".

Sheikh Ekrima Sabri, the head of Jerusalem's Supreme Islamic Authority and the imam of the iconic Al-Aqsa Mosque, said Sunday's election results was the reaffirmation of the Turkish people's trust in President Erdogan.

"The election atmosphere in Turkey is a cultural indicator of the Turkish people.

"They have said their word and placed their trust in President Recep Tayyip Erdogan with all the objectivity and transparency," Sabri said.

- Erdogan's success 'meant for all Muslims'

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, American Muslim opinion leaders said Erdogan's success meant a lot for the Muslims living around the globe.

The head of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, Nihad Awad, congratulated the Turkish nation for the successful election, saying that a high voter turnout marked the polls.

Oussama Jamal, the secretary-general of the U.S. Council of Muslim Organizations, said the Turkish elections were held in democratic maturity and sent a message to the world.

The executive director of the Chicago-based charity Zakat Foundation, Halil Demir also said President Erdogan proved that he was not the president of his ruling AK Party, but the entire country.

Vladimir Potapenko, the deputy secretary-general of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization -- one of the observer organizations for Turkey's Sunday elections -- said in a news conference: "The elections is conducted in accordance with the legislation in force in Turkey, we confirm that all conditions necessary were provided for it."

He added that their mission termed the elections as "transparent, impartial and democratic".

Moulana Shabbier Ahmed Saloojee, the rector of Darul Uloom Zakariyya -- South Africa's largest Islamic university -- congratulated President Erdogan in a message.

"All Muslims in the world will continue to take benefit from President Erdogan’s leadership, together with the Turkish nation," he said.

Early Monday morning, Turkey's Supreme Election Council (YSK) announced that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan won absolute majority in the presidential election after 97.7 percent of ballot boxes were opened.

YSK head Sadi Guven also said Justice and Development (AK) Party, Republican People’s Party (CHP), Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) and Good (IYI) Party surpassed the 10 percent threshold in the parliamentary election.