Turkey's Erdogan triumphs in election test, extending 20-year rule

A view of newspapers on a stand at a shop, following the results of the second round of the presidential election, in Ankara, Turkey May 29, 2023. REUTERS/Yves Herman

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - President Tayyip Erdogan and supporters on Monday revelled in an election victory lengthening his rule into a third decade while Turkey's opposition, which once counted on winning, braced for "difficult days" against an increasingly autocratic government.

His rival Kemal Kilicdaroglu said it was "the most unfair election in years" but did not dispute the outcome, which gave Erdogan a mandate to pursue policies that have polarised Turkey and strengthened its position as a regional military power.