As bleary eyed observers survey the aftermath of Turkey's tense parliamentary and presidential elections, a picture has begun to form of the political wreckage left in its wake.

Predicted breakthroughs for the opposition failed to materialise, while other little-discussed candidates and parties managed to make surprise gains and possibly shape how the second round run-off in the presidential elections could form in the coming weeks.

Although it's perhaps too early to make a full assessment, anxiety over the opposition Nation Alliance's tacit electoral pact with the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) as well as mounting anger at Syrian refugees appears to have given the nationalist vote a boost.

And despite hopes that a big tent alliance could bring together a bigger voter coalition, the opposition failed to break through and many of the smaller parties predicted votes sank without a trace.

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