13 Jun 2011

Third term for ruling party in Turkey

7:31 am on 13 June 2011

Results from an election in Turkey show the Justice & Development Party of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will win a third term in office.

With 98% of ballots counted, the AKP has 51% of the vote, the Republican People's Party has 26% and the Nationalist Movement Party, 13%.

The support for the AKP would translate to 326 seats in parliament - 13 fewer than in 2007.

The BBC reports that it will be 41 seats short of the two-thirds majority needed to amend the constitution unilaterally.

The AKP has presided over strong economic growth and a more assertive foreign policy since taking power in 2003.

Turkey is a member of NATO and a candidate for EU membership.