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By Walid Shoebat (Shoebat Exclusive)

Erdogan proclaimed himself God. You heard it correctly.

But before I break it to you,I was asked yesterday by a friend (Vinny Zee) if Erdogan ever declared himself to be God, that my article yesterdayVinny alluded that ifothers calling Erdogan God and prophet, does not qualify, since in 2 Thessalonians 2, it is the Antichrist who declares himself to be God and not just his followers.

This is a valid argument. But to answer it, is not something for a speedy Gonzales who wants a quick outline,it takes more than a thousand words and a keen eye to dig deeper than the surface. Read this, consume it, and prevent yourself falling into the grip of the devil.

When I published my article yesterday, I did not include most of the research I discovered thinking to wait for a more beefy Tostada and that folks would trust my track record on being cautious, so I gave onlyan example or two. So here it is, to all my pestering friends, I will start with the minor then to the major.

Todays Zaman, a secular, not Christian, Turkish newspaper had this to say:

An alleged supporter of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) welcomed President Recep Tayyip Erdoan by chanting Welcome, O Messenger of God, a phrase commonly used to refer to the Prophet Muhammad, in the latest in a series of similar remarks attributing divine qualities to Erdoan.

Ok, I could hear the argument, some crazy parlamentarian calledhim prophet, so what. But it is not only one, Zaman adds:

In another example, AK Party Bursa deputy Hseyin ahin at one point said that touching Erdoan is a form of prayer, while AK Party Dzce deputy Fevai Arslan said Erdoan has all the attributes of God.

Now these are not some Joe-Schmo, these are AK Party deputiesfrom theGrand National Assembly of Turkeyandmembers of parliament.

AK Party Bursa deputy Hseyin ahin

A billboard lastmonth was erected for Erdogans birthday, February 26, in the Glba district ofadyamanprovince inviting people to attend a holy birthday event to celebrate the birthday of President Recep Tayyip Erdoan, except this celebration is not attributing the festivity for Erdogan as mere man, but as a prophet.

A billboard in the Glba district of Adyaman province invites people to attend a holy birthday event to celebrate the birthday of President Recep Tayyip Erdoan. (Photo: Cihan)

Zaman adds:

Among the activities planned for the event scheduled for 7 p.m. on Feb. 26 are a religious talk from theologian mer Dngelolu; a concert of hymns (known as ilahi [my God]praising God and extolling the characteristics of the Prophet Muhammad) by Recep Aslan and Bilal Gregen; and a sema performance (whirling dervishes).

Religious talks, hymns and sema performances like those planned for the presidents birthday are common to religiouscelebrations held in honor of the Prophet Muhammads birth.

This is not treating Erdogan as mere man, but prophet. Whirling dervishes is not just Turkish art, but the process of Fana, on how one can become God.

Erdogan is also proclaimed as healer. When Erdogan once addressed the crowd from the platform, a woman was seen fainting. Erdogan gesticulated as if saying bring her over. Instead of being taken away byambulance, the allegedly sick woman was taken to Erdogan. The stretcher was elevated to the platform and Erdogan reached out to the woman. She grabbed his right hand with both hands, screaming what the dervishes you hear in the video: Allah, Allah, Allahu Akbar'.

Sleepy heads who are hung up on some Nicolae Jetty Carpathia, need to begin taking their heads out of the junk and need to begin to learn more about Sufism and how man can become divine:

ERDOGAN DEMANDS WORSHIP

Erdogan is hailed, not only as prophet or healer only, but as one who can change the laws of the universe: Spring has come to Sanliurfa. Both nature and history are rising up to greet our prime minister, says Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek on Erdogans visit to the southeastern province of Sanliurfa on March 9th. Yet the Finance Minister did not face any sanctions from Erdoganfor declaration of divinityand neither didAKP lawmaker Fevai Aslan who on January 16th when he said: Erdogan is a leader who gathers all of Allahs qualities in himself. Neither did theDeputy Health Minister Agah Kafkas was reprimanded when on May 19, 2013 hesaid: To do what Erdogan does is sunna.Sunna which theDeputy Health Minister was referring to is theobedience to Muhammad. In other words, to obey Erdogan is to obey the Prophet himself! And neither wasAKP lawmaker Huseyin Sahin on July 20, 2011 was reprimanded by Erdogan for saying: Believe me, even touching our prime minister is worship to me.

These are major figures and Erdogan as if he is Christ who did not denounce worshiping Him, Erdogan did not denounce worship either. And if one thinks that its only the followers who elevate Erdogan to prophet, healer, master of the universe and nature, or deity, think again. Just last weekmedia from Istanbul, wrote this regarding Edrogan himself, firing anyone who denounces him beingGod:

Turkeys Religious Affairs Directorate fired an imam who is highly regarded as a hafiz a person who has memorized the entire Quran in zmir on Feb. 23 because of posts on Facebook criticizing President Recep Tayyip Erdoans use of religious terminology to praise himself.The imam, who asks that his name not be revealed because of the judicial process he has started against the directorate, told Todays Zaman that directorate inspectors started an investigation against him when zmir Muftis Office filed a complaint in May of last year regarding posts the imam had written, arguing that language used by Erdoan and his followers goes against the principles of slam. The anonymous imam insisted that it is a duty of religious officials to warn people when their behavior, attitude and language contradict religious mandates.In a speech in March of last year that many theologians found to be problematic, then-Prime Minister Erdoan said, Our mercy will prevail over our wrath, to a crowd in Mula province, using terminology from a hadith qudsi (sacred hadith), a category of the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad which are attributed to God. The hadith qudsi in question states: When God decreed the Creation, He pledged Himself by writing in His book which is laid down with Him: My mercy prevails over my wrath.

In other words, Erdogan Islamically proclaims himself as Allah. The statement Our mercy will prevail over our wrath in Islam only pertains to Allah himself.

But this is not only Erdogan using Islamic terminologies for such claims of deity. Speaking to the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation(OIC)consisting of57 member statesfrom every Muslim nation on the globe,Erdogan uses termminology that only is known to have been said of Christ inthe Bible. For example, God, in Zechariah calls Jerusalem the apple of my eye and Erdogan does the samein denouncing what Christ said that Jerusalem is the apple of My Eye, that is Christs eye. Erdogan said:Jerusalem is the apple of every Muslims eye.Such biblical terminology belongs to Christ, God, regarding His Temple in Jerusalem. The prophet Zechariah prophetically declared what Jesus will proclaim regarding a temple that is propheticallybuilt for Him in Jerusalem with use of this terminology:

Then I looked up, and there before me was a man with a measuring line in his hand.2I asked, Where are you going?

He answered me, To measure Jerusalem, to find out how wide and how long it is.

While the angel who was speaking to me was leaving, another angel came to meet him4and said to him: Run, tell that young man, Jerusalem will be a city without wallsbecause of the great numberof people and animals in it.And I myself will be a wallof firearound it, declares theLord, and I will be its glorywithin.

Come! Come! Flee from the land of the north, declares theLord, for I have scattered you to the four winds of heaven,declares theLord.

Come, Zion! Escape,you who live in Daughter Babylon!8For this is what theLordAlmighty says: After the Glorious One has sent me against the nations that have plundered youfor whoever touches you touches the apple of his eyeI will surely raise my hand against them so that their slaves will plunder them.Then you will know that theLordAlmighty has sent me.

How Erdogan knows this, or why he is using such blasphemy is unknown, or whether he manifests a demon or Lucifer himself remains to be seen. While Erdogan is the changer of Turkish laws, the dishonorer of womens desires, the writing is on the wall, this man undeniably desires to be deified and Jerusalem is his focus. Must this not be a reason for all who are required to heed Pauls instruction in 2 Thessalonians 2?

I believe it should. But we need all pieces to proclaim him The Antichrist. While he proclaims himself attributes of prophet and deity, he must enter the Temple of God making such declaration there. It is either Hagia Sophia, the Jewish Temple in Turkey or a rebuilt Temple in Jerusalem, only time will tell.

And it is not as if all of the sudden AKP party leaders have just come up with all this deification of Erdogan on their own. It is actually the reverse, their deification of Erdogan comes from him and through them they proclaimed him as God.

With a book written with his approval titled Recep Tayyip Erdogan: The Sun of the Age, whichproudly gives him titles that only belong to deitywhich even to Wahhabist Muslims, would sound bizarre, if not heretical. But whoever said that all of Arabia will accept Antichrist misses Scripture, that in Ezekiel 38, Sheba and Dedan mock his invasion of Israel and as we see Libyas Haftar and Egypts Al-Sisi, both hate Erdogan today, these are perfectly set up for the invasion by Antichrist in Daniel 11.

And to be amazed with Gods wonder, whoever wrote Daniel, had it not been God, as the naysayers deny, Daniel would have to have understood that Turkey being pro-Muslim Brotherhood and that Libya and Egypt are anti-Muslim Brotherhood, would be some genius who knew exactly the politics and demography of todays situation. Indeed, it is for thousands of these biblical points I read from the Holy Scripture was the reason I left Islam, left Antichrist, repented and I believe in Thy Name O Lord Jesus The Christ, The Son of The Living God Who died on the Cross of Calvary and resurrected on the third day as written in Scriptures . It is Thee whom I prostrate, it is Thee whom I worship. For to Thee, every knee will bow, every tongue will confess that Thee alone is Lord over the universe. It is Thee who is the Healer, the Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. It is Thee whom every knee will bow, including Bel (Allah) and Nebo (the prophet) (see Isaiah 46:1).

Nabi or Nebo is prophet. This false prophet claims himself as god. To all Turks,touching Erdoganas a form of worship, and proclaimed that Erdogan carries all the attributes of Allah in himself is a great blasphemy. There is only one who is to be calledThe Sun of the Age, whocarries all the attributes of Godin himself, that is Christ.

So lets wait and see if Erdogan takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. 2 Thessalonians 2 1-4

AKP deputy Duzce Miletvekili Feavi Arslan proclaimed that Erdogan carries all the attributes of Allah in himself.

Shoebat.compredicted this will be the outcome last year and even explained it theologically from a Muslim perspective (read here). Sufism is key, which we illustrated, before Erdogans coming out of the closet, this very issue, by quoting the most infamous of Islamic Sufi writers who is praised by Erdogan, Jalal al-Din Rumi,whowrote of how the goal of the Sufi is to become divine viaFana (eliminating the self to become God):

Remember the famous utterance of al-Hallaj, I am God. People think that to say I am God is a claim of great pretense and spiritual arrogance. It is actually a claim of extreme humility. I am God means I do not exist. He is all, everything is He, existence is Gods alone. I am without existence, pure non-existence. I am nothing. I am God is not a claim of great pretension, it is a claim of extreme humility. There is more humility in this than any supposed claim to greatness, but people do not understand the inner meaning. When a man acknowledges his servitude to God, he is aware of his being a servant. He may see himself as a devoted servant of God, but he still sees himself and his own actions as apart from the one reality of God. He is not drowned in the Ocean of Divine Unity. Drowned is he in whom there is not separate motion or mobility. Drowned is he whose movement is the movement of the water. And so it is with the enlightenment ones, those who declares, I am God. Anyone who says I am the servant of God asserts the reality of two existences, one for himself and the other for God.But he who says I am God andhas realized the deepest levels of unity within his being has seen through the illusion of his existence. He knows from the experience of unity that his own separate existence is nothing but an illusion. Knowing that, he casts its former selfhood upon the winds of oblivion. (Rumi, Hearts bear witness one to another, in The Complete Discourses of Jalal al-Din Rumi, discourse 11, p. 75, ed. Louis Rogers)

The deception is so immense that evenJoel Richardson, who writes in both of his books not only praised the foremostMuslim scholar behind Sufism,Jala al Din al Rumicomplementing him and asking his readers to learn from the Antichrist religions positive aspects stating that Rumi,the father of Sufism and Antichrist theology, as the essence and beacon for such transformation to God:

Jalal al Din al Rumiwas one of Islams greatest mystics. Hepracticed a mystical form of Islam known as Sufiism. Rumi often spoke of God as the Beloved or the Friend. Sufis such asRumi also placed far more emphasis on Jesus as their model for life than other Muslims.One cannot read many of Rumis writings without feeling as though he was very close to being a Christian. There is at leastone quote of Rumis that I have truly come to appreciate. Rumi said, One day I was going along looking to see in people the shining of the Friend, so I would recognize the Ocean in a drop.

How this shows love for Jesus by Rumi is astounding, he continues in his admiration of Rumi:

Rumi attempted to see God in all of His creation, and particularly in every one of His creatures.

Richardsons fascination with Rumi goes too far to even admire the very religion of Antichrists peaceful form of Islam, Sufism:

Maybe you say that we cannot find any goodness and light in the religion of the Antichrist. Butbelieve it or not, you can. And heres the reason:Islam is made of Muslims. And Muslims are people who are created in the image of God. And many of them are genuine God seekers. As such, evenin Islam there are things that Christians can learn from.

Even Christians who claim serpentine wisdom, fall, how will it be for the rest?

Erdogan is a master ofgreat deception. This is the first time in history that this connect was made. And it is not as if Erdogan is unaware of Rumis theology. Far from it. It was no surprise to us that the president of Turkey, Erdogan even praised Rumis work, revealing that he himself is not only Sufi but that he also believes inFanathe art annihilation and becoming God himself. Why else would Erdogan praise Rumis work TheMasnavi,saying:

A work can live for more than seven centuries only if it is written with love.

TheMasnaviis amongst Rumis most popular works, and it is inthis very bookthat the idea ofman becoming divineis adulated. He praises the Sufi declaration I am the Truth! saying, Mansurs I am the Truth! was purest light (Masnavi, 2.307, trans. Mojaddedi)

When Christ said I am The Truth He was declaring Himself to be God Almighty. Likewise in Sufi Islam, this also exists, yet mimicking Christ. In Sufi Islam for one to exclaim, I am the Truth, is to say I am God!

Here is the bottom line. Many missed it because they thought that Islam can never deify a man while others even fell for the deception. Islam is filled with disclaimers like we do not worship except Allah while they deify Muhammad, Khalifa and Mahdi, giving these the titles: Al-Maqam-Al- Mahmud (The Glorious One), Awal-Khalq-illah (The first of Creation), Muhammad (The Praised One), Al-Insan Al-Kamel (The Perfect Man), Rahmatan-lil-Aalameen (Mercy to All Mankind), Al-rasul Al-Atham (The Greatest of All sent by God), Shafi (Healer), Munji (Savior), Mahdi (The Guided One/Deliverer), Al-Mustafa Al-Mukhtar (The Chosen One), Amir (The Prince), which is the exact term for Antichrist in the Bible, Khatimun-Nabiyeen (The Seal of Prophets), Al-Hadi (The Guide), Awal (First), Akher (Last), Sayyid Walad Adam (The Leader of The Sons of Adam) and then at the same timeAl-Siraj Al- Muneer (The Luminous One, The Glowing Lamp, Lucifarian).

When one sees Erdogan triumphant with the crowds of millions carrying fiery red, hyacinth blue, and sulfur yellow flags (Revelation 19:17), proclaiming himself deity, changing the laws we should pay attention:

The man in Turkey will bring the worst persecution ever to the Church. In the meanwhile, please consider the serious issue on Christian persecution which will increase as we see these events unfold. we operate a very effective mission in rescuing fellow Christians. We are a unique organization (Rescue Christians) who rescue Christians, predominately in Pakistan that live under the Muslim yoke baking bricks in kilns under the heating sun. Christians in Pakistan are also burned in furnaces. To see an example out of the thousands we rescue, click here, and listen to the amazing testimonies first hand on how you can help and make a difference, now in this life and for eternity.Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.CONSIDER DONATING TO RESCUE CHRISTIANS

More here:
SHOCKING AND AMAZING: Erdogan Has Now Declared Himself To ...

On July 9, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will take his oath of office in parliament. Turkey will thus officially move from a parliamentary system to a presidential system. Just 13 years have passed since Turkish officials started EU accession negotiations. At the time, it seemed that democracy, freedom of expression and social harmony were growing.

Now, however, Turkey is preparing to endow its increasingly Islamist, nationalist and authoritarian president with an unprecedented amount of power. The abolition of parliamentary control gives Erdogan sole power over the executive branch of government. And, through his power to appoint important judges, he will also control the judiciary.

Ersin Kalaycioglu, a senior scholar at Sabanci University's Istanbul Policy Center, said the potential consequences remained unclear. "So far, the new system has only been discussed with us in broad lines," Kalaycioglu said. "This means that neither the public nor political scientists know the exact details."

Erdogan has repeatedly stressed that other democracies also have presidential systems. However, Turkey's differs considerably from the US's, as well as from France's, semipresidential system of government. In the United States, for example, the president does not have the power to dissolve Congress.

Erdogan, on the other hand, can dissolve parliament and call elections. In France, parliament appoints the members of the Constitutional Court. In Turkey, on the other hand, the president makes the decisions concerning the high court.

Kalaycioglu points out that Turkey's presidential system caters to autocratic tendencies. "There is a strong civil society in both the US and French systems," he said. "We don't have that."

Erdogan will now also be able to regularly issue presidential decrees. He had previously only been allowed to do so under the rules of the ongoing state of emergency since the failed July 2016 coup. Erdogan will now be able to overrule the judiciary at any time.

The oversight of an independent and impartial judiciary will therefore be effectively impossible. The political scientist Dogu Ergil shares Kalaycioglu's fears. He believes that the separation of powers and the independence of the judiciary have been abolished.

Erdogan's cops suppress LGBT Pride celebrations, once a demonstration of inclusion

Danger of ultranationalism

There is also the question of whether Erdogan's alliance with the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) in the elections on June 24 will increase domestic tensions. Many fear that the hostile stances taken by the MHP, especially toward Kurds, and the party's rejection of certain established democratic values could create an even more nationalist atmosphere in Turkey. Erdogan needs the MHP in order to have a parliamentary majority. This could prove the biggest obstacle to finding a peaceful solution to conflict with Kurdish groups and to Turkey's efforts to meet EU requirements.

Turkey officially applied for EU membership in 1999, and negotiations began on October 3, 2005. However, little progress has been made over the past 13 years. Negotiations were basically halted after the state of emergency was declared two years ago. The Dutch politician Kati Piri, the European Parliament's Turkey rapporteur, told DW that she would like to see an official suspension of accession negotiations.

While Turkey's EU accession process is in danger of being indefinitely suspended, its relations with the United States are also increasingly difficult. Fethullah Gulen, accused by Erdogan of being the mastermind behind the attempted coup in 2016, lives in the United States.

The US is working with a Kurdish militia group in Syria that Erdogan has called a terrorist organization. And Turkey is planning to buy S-400 missile systems from Russia despite opposition within NATO. All this has led to the impasse.

Ergil, the political scientist, pointed to recent opinion polls that showthe United States even less popular in Turkey than it is in Iran. He said increasingly hostile attitudes toward the US and EU were spreading in Turkey even independently of Erdogan's policies.

In Turkey and abroad, Recep Tayyip Erdogan has a polarizing effect. He has been described as a neo-Ottoman "sultan" as well as an authoritarian leader. From his early beginnings campaigning for Islamist causes to leading NATO's second largest military as the president of Turkey, DW explores the rise of the Turkish leader.

After years of moving up the ranks of the Islamist-rooted Welfare Party, Erdogan was elected mayor of Istanbul in 1994. But four years later, the party was ruled unconstitutional on the grounds it threatened Turkey's secularist nature, and was disbanded. He was later jailed for four months for a controversial public reading of a poem, and consequently lost his mayorship over the conviction.

Erdogan co-founded the Justice and Development Party (AKP), which won a majority of seats in 2002. He was made prime minister in 2003. During his first years in office, Erdogan worked on providing social services, improving the economy and implementing democratic reforms. But some have argued that his premiership was also marked by a religious shift in the political sphere.

While Turkey's constitution guarantees the country's secular nature, observers believe Erdogan has managed to purge the "old secularist guard." The Turkish leader has said that one of his goals is to raise a "pious generation." Erdogan's supporters have hailed the Turkish leader's initiatives, arguing that they've reversed years of discrimination against practicing Muslims.

In July 2016, a failed military coup targeting Erdogan and his government left more than 200 people dead, including civilians and soldiers. In the wake of the coup attempt, Erdogan declared a state of emergency and vowed to "clean up" the military. "In Turkey, armed forces are not governing the state or leading the state. They cannot," he said.

Since the failed coup, authorities have launched a nationwide crackdown, arresting more than 50,000 people in the armed forces, police, judiciary, schools and media. Erdogan has blamed Fethullah Gulen, a self-exiled cleric in the US and former ally, and his supporters of trying to undermine the government. But rights groups believe the allegations are a means to solidify his power and influence.

While Erdogan enjoys significant support in Turkey and the Turkish expatriate community, he has been criticized for his heavy-handed policies and military campaigns against Kurdish militants following the collapse of a peace process in 2015. This January, Erdogan launched a deadly offensive into the northern Syrian enclave of Afrin, an operation that was widely condemned by human rights groups.

Having served as Turkey's president since 2014, Erdogan successfully extended his time in office after winning elections in June. The elections marked Turkey's transition to an executive-style presidency. Observers believe the elections will herald a new era for Turkey for better or worse.

Author: Lewis Sanders IV

Every evening at 1830 UTC, DW's editors send out a selection of news and features. Sign up to receive it here.

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Recep Tayyip Erdogan: The sultan of 21st-century Turkey ...

Speaking exclusively to CNN in Ankara on Tuesday, Erdogan said that there was "nothing to gain" by the move and urged the US to reverse the decision while there was still time to do so, repeating his claim that "East Jerusalem is the capital city of Palestine" and will one day be home to an embassy serving Turkey's interests in a Palestinian state.

He also said the move would jeopardize the global economy. "The United States might gain some certain positivity out of the withdrawal...or the rising oil prices, but many of the countries in poverty will be hit even harder and deeper."

By reimposing sanctions on Iran, Trump is declaring "an economic war" that the world can ill afford, the Turkish leader said.

When asked if he has concerns of a geopolitical war breaking out as a result, he said: "That's not what we would wish to see, of course ... this is not what we'd like to expect. However, in my view, the US would be the ones to lose. Iran will never compromise on this agreement, and will abide by this agreement to the end ... that's what I think. However, the US will lose in the end."

Asked directly what he thinks about the US President, Erdogan said only that "as politicians, we need to abide by the boundaries of mutual respect."

Erdogan's negative remarks about US policy speak to the growing tensions between the two nations. While they retain an important military alliance, their relations have become increasingly frayed as Erdogan has consolidated political power and aligned himself more closely with US foes such as Russia and Iran.

The NATO allies have sparred over a slew of issues in recent years, with added friction coming from the continuing conflict in Syria.

More:
Erdogan calls Jerusalem US Embassy move 'huge mistake'

Erdogan suggested exchanging Brunson for Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen, living in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania, who is accused of masterminding the coup attempt. Gulen denies the charge.

Cagaptay believes that if he wins Erdogan will strengthen his push to make Turkey politically Islamist, alienating secularists and increasing instability as the two sides clash over the direction of the country.

An Erdogan victory actually threatens to throw Turkey into a deep, long-term political crisis, he said.

That victory isnt as clear as many first expected.

Erdogan called the snap election, bringing forward a vote that was originally due to be held in November 2019, ahead of a potential financial crisis.

Rapid economic growth has slowed and Turkey's currency plummeted 25 percent this year. It hit a record low after Erdogan said he would increase his control of financial policy following the election while on a visit to London in May.

"The polls suggest that for the electorate, the economic issues are overtaking security issues," said Serhat Guvenc, professor at Kadir Has University, to the Associated Press.

Related

That presented an opportunity Erdogan's rivals have seized upon with unexpectedly engaging campaigns.

The country's opposition found momentum early on, when four parties announced a surprise alliance for the parliamentary elections.

The alliance includes Meral Aksener's Good Party, consisting of nationalists and center-right figures. But the main opposition is the CHP, whose candidate Muharrem Ince a 54-year-old former physics teacher has tried to appeal to conservative Turks with his oratory skills and by showcasing his practicing Muslim family.

Ince has courted the crucial Kurdish vote by visiting Selahattin Demirtas, the imprisoned candidate of the pro-Kurdish HDP.

While not in the alliance, HDPs support could prove crucial for the opposition candidate in a prospective second round and in denying Erdogan's party a majority in parliament.

Erdogan accuses the HDP of connections to the militant group the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which is classified as a terrorist organization by Turkey and the U.S.

Violence has also marred the campaign and with the majority of media outlets under the control of Erdogan and his allies, opposition candidates are struggling to get their voices heard.

Candidates made their final push on Saturday.

Ince's final rally drew at least a million supporters to Istanbul's Maltepe district, police said. There are 5 million people in Maltepe right now but none of the TV channels can show it, Ince said, highlighting the opposition's claims of media bias.

That figure could not be independently verified, though images circulating on social media showed vast crowds of people assembled to hear Ince speak.

Braving a summer thunderstorm, Ince's supporters, in festive mood, sang anthems and waved red and white Turkish flags as their candidate promise to reverse Turkey's turn towards authoritarian rule under Erdogan.

On the other side of the Bosphorus, the waterway bisecting Istanbul and separating Europe from Asia, thousands filled a road in suburban Istanbul to hear Erdogan talk up his infrastructure projects. The strongman president ask the crowd if they had built a bridge, an airport and improved the country. "Yes we did!" they shouted back.

"He's the only leader standing for the whole Muslim community and all of Turkey," said Yakup Kalkan, 22, a textile manager attending the rally. "Yes, the economy is bad, but because of foreign games, especially [from] America."

Erdogan has remained the front-runner throughout, but after allegations of vote-rigging in last year's referendum on presidential powers, questions linger among the opposition over what will happen if the vote is as tight as its now predicted to be.

The two main opposition leader cast their votes on Sunday and vowed vigilance amid fears of possible fraud.

Aksener told reporters in Istanbul: "I hope these elections are beneficial and truly reflect the free will of the voters."

About three weeks after calling the election, Erdogan told parliament: If one day our nation says 'enough,' then we will step aside.

Turkey may get to see if he keeps that promise a lot sooner than anyone expected.

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Erdogan claims victory in Turkey's high-stakes election

ANKARA, Turkey Turkish voters gave President Recep Tayyip Erdogan a decisive victory in national elections on Sunday, lengthening his 15-year grip on power and granting him vastly expanded authority over the legislature and judiciary.

The election was the first to be held since Turkish voters narrowly approved a referendum last year to give the president once a largely ceremonial role sweeping executive powers. Mr. Erdogan will also have a pliant Parliament, with his conservative party and its allies having won about 53 percent of the vote in legislative elections on Sunday.

Mr. Erdogan has overseen a crackdown on lawyers, judges, civil servants and journalists under a state of emergency declared after a failed coup two years ago. His critics had portrayed Sundays election as their last chance to prevent Turkey from becoming an authoritarian state.

The victory has potentially grave consequences for cooperation within NATO, security in Iraq and Syria, and control of immigration flows into Europe.

Turkey has continued to cooperate with its Western partners on counterterrorism efforts, but Mr. Erdogan has tested the NATO alliance by drawing closer to President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, buying an advanced Russian missile defense system and planning a Russian-built nuclear reactor in Turkey.

As in other countries where strongmen have gained at the ballot box, many Turkish voters appeared to have accepted Mr. Erdogans argument that powerful centralized authority was essential to forge a strong state and guard against the threat of terrorism.

The results released by the official Anadolu news agency showed Mr. Erdogan with just under 53 percent of the vote, enough to spare him from a runoff against his leading challenger, Muharrem Ince, who won nearly 31 percent.

At 10:30 p.m., Mr. Erdogan, 64, gave a short televised speech to applauding supporters at the gates of Huber Pavilion, one of his residences in Istanbul.

It seems the nation has entrusted me with the duty of the presidency, and to us a very big responsibility in the legislature, Mr. Erdogan said. Turkey has given a lesson of democracy with a turnout of close to 90 percent. I hope that some will not provoke to hide their own failure.

Mr. Erdogan said he would travel to Ankara, the capital, to make his traditional victory speech from the balcony of his party headquarters.

Flag-waving crowds gathered after midnight at the party headquarters, waiting for him to appear. He finally emerged at 3 a.m. Monday.

Mr. Erdogan acknowledged that his own party had taken a hit in the campaign, but said the result was a vindication of his ability to deliver. The winner is the politics of providing services, he said. The winner is the supremacy of the national will. The winner is Turkey, the Turkish nation. The winner is all the aggrieved people in our region, all the oppressed in the world.

Opposition parties initially called his claim of victory premature, but after midnight, Bulent Tezcan, the vice chairman of Mr. Inces party, the Republican Peoples Party, conceded defeat in a brief televised speech.

Our citizens should not be provoked, whatever the result is, he said, urging his supporters to continue their campaign for democracy through peaceful means.

The victory means Mr. Erdogan will almost certainly make good on his desire to become the countrys longest-ruling leader, surpassing Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, who founded the modern Turkish republic out of the ruins of the collapsed Ottoman Empire.

Under the new system brought in by last years referendum, Mr. Erdogan can run for a second term as president and a third, if he were to call an early election opening the possibility that he could stay in office until 2032.

In parliamentary races, Mr. Erdogans party placed first, with more than 42 percent of the vote, the Anadolu agency reported, enough to retain a majority in alliance with the Nationalist Movement Party, which received about 11 percent.

Defenders of Turkeys multiparty democracy did receive some cause for hope: The H.D.P. party, a liberal democratic party that emphasizes minority rights and is led by an imprisoned Kurd, Selahattin Demirtas, surpassed the 10 percent threshold needed to enter Parliament.

The deputy head of the Supreme Election Board said five parties had passed the threshold.

Soner Cagaptay, a scholar and author who has called Mr. Erdogan a new sultan in the vein of the absolute rulers of the Ottoman Empire, said the new Parliament would be the most politically diverse in 35 years, with nearly every major political faction represented.

Support for Mr. Erdogan appeared to be similar to its level in last years constitutional referendum, suggesting that polarization around his simultaneously adored and loathed persona continues to divide Turkey, Mr. Cagaptay said.

Amanda Sloat, an Obama administration official who is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, said that one of the countrys biggest challenges for the foreseeable future remains the deep polarization of Turkish society.

She said Mr. Erdogans reliance on the Nationalist Movement Party for its majority means foreign policy will likely remain influenced by nationalist considerations.

But she said the hard-fought election showed that Turkish democracy was resilient.

The opposition parties ran surprisingly strong, energetic and competitive campaigns, Ms. Sloat said. Parliament will be diverse, with the coalition system ensuring the representation of a wide range of parties including the Kurds.

The victory for Mr. Erdogan and his allies appeared to defy last-minute polls indicating that they were in danger. The final opinion poll conducted by the independent Metropoll suggested that Mr. Erdogan might suffer a double blow, being forced into a second round of voting for the presidency and losing control of Parliament.

The election was seen in large measure as a referendum on Mr. Erdogans rule, with many voters expressing concerns about what they say is his growing authoritarian streak and a struggling economy, which they blame on corruption and mismanagement.

The economy, once a strong point for Mr. Erdogan, has stumbled badly in the last year. Turkey has accumulated significant foreign debt, the Turkish lira has lost 20 percent of its value and direct foreign investment has plunged as investors have been scared off by the presidents increasingly belligerent and anti-Western tone.

The economic turmoil may make Mr. Erdogan more careful about picking fights with the West, but it could also spell growing unrest and political challenges at home against a newly energized and unified opposition.

Bekir Agirdir, founder of the polling firm Konda, predicted that Mr. Erdogan would struggle to rule the country: His constitutional changes in 2017 to create an executive presidency were approved narrowly, 51 percent to 49 percent.

He cannot rule the remaining 49 percent, Mr. Agirdir said in an interview before Sundays election. He suggested that Mr. Erdogan was bound to see a showdown eventually. This is the rehearsal. The real election will be in two to three years time.

Many in the opposition saw the campaign as a final chance to save democracy. We are crossing the last bridge before it falls, said Burcu Akcaru, a founder of the new Good Party. Then we leave the country.

Mr. Erdogan called the election two months ago they had not been expected until November 2019 in hopes of scoring a big win that he maintained would be a turning point for the country, allowing him to create a stronger, more powerful state.

When he came to power 15 years ago, Mr. Erdogan won wide support as a pro-European, moderate Islamist who supported democracy and economic liberalization. But over the years the earlier philosophy was replaced by a more personal and dictatorial rule, particularly after the failed coup in July 2016. Along the way, he either abandoned or alienated many of his allies.

The new presidential system will codify the executive powers Mr. Erdogan has already been exercising under the state of emergency. Under the new system, the office of prime minister, which Mr. Erdogan held from 2003 to 2014, will be abolished. The cabinet will be composed of presidential appointees rather than elected lawmakers. And Parliaments powers are reduced, including oversight of the budget.

Mr. Erdogan has imprisoned many of his critics, including thousands of Kurdish politicians and activists, members of civil society organizations, and Islamists accused of being followers of Fethullah Gulen, the cleric whom Turkish leaders accuse of organizing the coup attempt.

Devlet Bahceli, the leader of the Nationalist Movement Party, whose result on Sunday ensures the alliances parliamentary majority for Mr. Erdogan, said of the opposition: They wanted to demolish us, they couldnt manage; they wanted to ravage us, they failed.

Those who spell disasters hit the consciousness of Turkishness and fell apart, he said.

The elections losers must now figure out how to maintain a voice in an increasingly authoritarian nation.

Mr. Demirtas, the imprisoned Kurdish leader whose left-leaning minority-rights party won 11 percent of the vote, had urged Turks to vote against Mr. Erdogan and his allies, encouraging them to grab an opportunity before entering a dark and obscure tunnel.

What you go through nowadays is only a trailer of the one-man regime. The most frightening part of the movie hasnt even started yet, he warned. Everything will be arranged in accordance with the desire, pleasure and interests of one man. You will feel unable to breathe in a regime of fear and despair; you will feel like you are strangled.

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Erdogans Victory in Turkey Election Expands His Powers ...