Hamas congratulates Erdogan on election victory

By Can Erözden

ANKARA (AA) - Gaza-based resistance faction Hamas congratulated Turkey’s president Monday for his party’s win in local elections.

"Hamas congratulates Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the Turkish people on the success of [their] municipal elections, which drew a high turnout and reflected how civilized the Turkish people are. They, indeed, demonstrated a good example of the democratic process," it said on its website.

It also congratulated the Justice and Development (AK) party for their local election victory.

Additionally, Hamas wished Turkey a future of prosperity.

Millions of Turks cast their votes nationwide Sunday to choose mayors, city council members, mukhtars (neighborhood officials) and members of elder councils for the next five years.

Turkey's AK Party is leading in 16 metropolitan municipalities (larger cities), with 24 cities claimed by AK Party candidates, according to unofficial results.

On Sunday, the People's Alliance (Cumhur Ittifaki) garnered the majority of the votes, or 51.62 percent, against their rivals the Nation Alliance (Millet Ittifaki).

The People’s Alliance consists of the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), which joined forces to win the elections.

Their opposition had formed the Nation Alliance, which brought the Republican People's Party (CHP), the Good Party and the Felicity Party together to support each other’s candidates for the March 31 local elections, and it received 37.56 percent of the votes across Turkey.

Voter turnout in Sunday's local elections was 84.67 percent with 48.3 million votes cast.