Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan won the majority of votes in Sunday's election, the country's election council said, granting him another five-year term with new executive powers endorsed in a referendum last year.

The victory will extend the 15-year rule of the 64-year-old president, who has tightened his grip on Turkey's legislature and judiciary in a transformation from a parliamentary system to a presidential one based on a constitutional referendum in April 2017.

Amid concern over increasingly autocratic rule under Erdogan, the result could deepen the rift between Turkey's Western allies, wary of setbacks in its democracy and human rights records, observers said.

(Erdogan addresses to the public following unofficial returns.)
[Getty/Kyodo]

Declaring his victory, Erdogan said the People's Alliance, a coalition between his Islamist-rooted Justice and Development Party and the smaller far-right Nationalist Movement Party, also won a majority in the 600-seat parliament.

"The winner of this election is democracy," said Erdogan adding that he will "quickly" transform Turkey into a presidential system in an "ideal manner." He told opposition parties it is time to focus on the future of the country.

Five other candidates ran in the presidential election, with the secular Muharrem Ince of the main opposition Republican People's Party being Erdogan's main rival.

According to local media reports, with 99 percent of votes counted, Erdogan garnered 52.5 percent followed by Ince at 30.7 percent with the turnout rate standing at about 88 percent.

As for the parliamentary election, also with 99 percent of votes counted, the People's Alliance secured about 53 percent, followed by the opposition bloc led by Republican People's Party at around 34 percent. The election committee said pro-Kurdish People's Democratic Party won more than 10 percent, the threshold required in order to enter parliament.

The president has been consolidating what critics view as autocratic power of the country especially after the failed coup attempt in July 2016. Tens of thousands have been arrested in purges against opposition in the military, judiciary, educational institutions and the media under a state of emergency.

In 2014, Erdogan assumed the presidency, which used to be a mostly ceremonial role in the country.

Following the latest elections, Turkey will have a new political system under which the post of prime minister will be abolished with the president having sweeping authority, including the right to choose vice presidents -- new positions to be created -- and ministers, as well as the power to declare a state of emergency.