Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has defied the political odds to stand on the verge of another term as Turkish President after coming within a whisker of a first round victory over opposition candidate Kemal Kilicdaroglu. He is now the runaway favorite for the runoff vote which will take place in two weeks’ time. | CGTNEurope

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s speech after winning the Turkish presidential elections yesterday. | 5Pillars

Recep Tayyip Erdogan has dominated Turkish politics for more than two decades, serving as both prime minister and president of Turkey. The polarising leader has divided the country. His supporters see him as a strongman who has overseen economic growth but his opponents have criticised him for his increasing authoritarian tendencies. Here’s a look back at Erdogan’s rise to power and how he came to be one of Turkey’s most influential leaders | Middle East Eye

Who exactly is Recep Tayyip Erdogan? As Turkey gets ready to go to the polls later this month, we take a look at the man who has dominated Turkish politics for over two decades. Turkey's president was once an aspiring footballer, and now he's the most powerful Turkish politician since Kemal Ataturk. | The National