Morning update: Erdogan gives balcony speech

Good morning MEE readers. 

After one of the most historic days in Turkey's political history, it looks like we're set to do it all over again. 

Neither Recep Tayyip Erdogan or opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu were able to surpass the 50 percent threshold needed to win yesterday's presidential election in the first round. 

After 97 percent of ballots were counted, Erdogan leads with 49.39 percent of votes while Kilicdaroglu has 44.92 percent, according to Anadolu news agency. Nationalist candidate Sinan Ogan has 5.3 percent of the vote.

In the parliamentary vote, the ruling AK Party and MHP are on course to retain their majority. 

The president was in a buoyant mood last night as he addressed supporters from the balcony of the AK Party headquarters in Ankara.

"Even though the final results are not in, we are far ahead. We still don’t know the final official results, we are still waiting for the will of the nation to become apparent."

The man who has dominated Turkish politics for two decades has given a victory speech from that same balcony spot after all his election victories over the year. 

"While we were waiting for the results, I decided to give the traditional balcony speech in advance," he said.

He added that he believed he would surpass 50 percent with the votes still left to be counted, but if it went to a second round he would "respect that too".

In a short speech alongside other opposition leaders in his coalition alliance, Kilicdaroglu said: "We will win these elections in the second round."

"Erdogan didn't get the vote of confidence from the people. The desire to change in the society is more than 50 percent."

With the runoff set for 28 May, the two-week campaign has already begun.