EU says high turnout in Sunday's poll 'clear sign' of Turkish people's commitment to democracy

The EU on Tuesday applauded the high turnout in Türkiye's parliamentary and presidential elections, calling it a clear sign of the Turkish people's commitment to democracy.

"The EU welcomes the holding of parliamentary and presidential elections that took place in Türkiye on Sunday 14 May and the high turnout as a clear sign of the commitment of the Turkish people to exercising their democratic right to vote," said EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell and Oliver Varhelyi, commissioner for enlargement, in a joint statement.

Noting that they take note of the preliminary findings and recommendations of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and Council of Europe's international election observation mission, urged Turkish authorities to "address the shortcomings identified."

"The EU looks forward to the incoming parliament taking up its functions," they added.

Türkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan described the May 14 elections as a "festival of democracy" in an address to the nation in Ankara in the early Monday hours.

Millions of voters went to the polls on Sunday in Türkiye to elect the country's president and members of its 600-seat parliament.

Erdogan's People's Alliance won a majority in parliament, while the presidential race is headed to a second-round runoff on May 28, though Erdoğan took the lead in round one.