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QNA/AFP
Doha/Istanbul
The Amir HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al Thani congratulated Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on his victory in the presidential elections, in a telephone call on Sunday. The Amir wished him continued success and the brotherly people of Turkey further progress and prosperity.
Erdogan and his ruling AK Party claimed victory in Turkey's presidential and parliamentary polls on Sunday, overcoming the biggest electoral challenge to their rule in a decade and a half.
"Our people have given us the job of carrying out the presidential and executive posts," Erdogan said in a short national address, even as votes were still being counted.
"I hope nobody will try to cast a shadow on the results and harm democracy in order to hide their own failure."
Erdogan, 64, later waved to cheering, flag-waving supporters from the top of a bus in Istanbul. Sunday's vote ushers in a powerful new executive presidency long sought by Erdogan and backed by a small majority of Turks in a 2017 referendum.
"This sets the stage for speeding up reforms," Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Simsek tweeted of the results. With 96 percent of votes counted in the presidential race, Erdogan had 53 percent, comfortably ahead of Ince on 31 percent, broadcasters said.
In Sunday's parliamentary contest, the AK Party won 43 percent and its MHP ally 11 percent, based on 98 percent of votes counted, broadcasters said.
