Istanbul — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan celebrated winning sweeping new powers on Monday in an election victory, as his main rival accepted the outcome despite complaints over the conduct of the campaign. A night of triumph for Erdogan saw the man who has dominated Turkey for the past 15 years declared winner of Sunday’s presidential poll without needing a second round and lead his governing party-led alliance to an overall majority in parliament. Erdogan, whose victory was wider than predicted by many analysts, vowed to rapidly implement the new presidential system agreed in an April 2017 referendum that opponents fear will give him autocratic powers and could keep him in office for another decade. The new system creates a vertical of power with Erdogan at the top, giving him the power to appoint cabinet ministers and dispensing with the office of prime minister. 'Lesson in democracy' The president declared victory in Istanbul before returning to Ankara to deliver a trium...
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