Turkey: Aide defies remarks foretelling Erdogan 'end'

By Faruk Zorlu

ANKARA (AA) - A presidential spokesman on Tuesday severely rejected political comments that the results from Sunday's local elections in Turkey meant "the beginning of the end" for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

"Some are servicing the beginning of the end for Erdogan story again. They will never learn," Ibrahim Kalin tweeted.

"AK Party won 44.3 % and the coalition won 51.6 % of the votes. Erdogan has his mandate until 2023. No elections till then," Kalin said.

He went on to say: "Stop presenting your wishful thinking as fact and analysis."

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.

According to unofficial results, Erdogan's Justice and Development (AK) Party led the elections garnering 44.3 percent of overall voter support and the People's Alliance -- AK Party's coalition with the Nationalist Movement Party -- got 51.6 percent of the ballots.

AK Party won 15 metropolitan cities and 24 cities in the elections.