Turkey election: victorious Erdogan lashes out at LGBT people

President Erdogan has claimed victory in Turkey’s presidential election run-off, securing another term that means he will serve a quarter century in power.

He took 52.08 per cent of the vote, defeating Kemal Kilicdaroglu, a secularist who stood as the candidate for a broad coalition of parties and conceded defeat at midnight.

Speaking in the Istanbul district of Uskudar three hours after the polls had closed, Erdogan claimed to have achieved “a victory where nobody is left behind”, but went on to lash out at LGBT people. He said the opposition was promoting gay rights, a siren call to his ultra-conservative religious base.

“In our culture, family is sacred. No one can interfere. We will strangle anyone who dares to touch it,” he said. His