Turkish PM Erdogan wins presidential election

Tayyip Erdogan has won Turkey's first presidential election after securing a majority of votes, a top official said tonight.

Sadi Guven, chairman of Turkey's High Election Board, said that 99 per cent of the votes had been counted.

Erdogan, who had been prime minister, thanked his supporters for electing him as the country's 12th president and pledged a new period of social reconciliation.

Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan has won Turkey's first presidential election, the High Election Board (YSK) says, citing provisional figures.

"The provisional results show that Erdogan has the majority of the valid votes," YSK chairman Sadi Guven told a news conference.

"Tomorrow I will provide the numbers. We have received more than 99 percent (of the votes). Tomorrow we will announce the provisional results."

The main opposition candidate in Turkey's first presidential election has congratulated Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan after results broadcast by Turkish media showed Erdogan had won.

"I congratulate Mr Prime Minister and wish him success," Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu said in a brief statement to reporters in Istanbul.

Tayyip Erdogan has won Turkey's first popular presidential election with just over 52 percent of the vote, Mustafa Sentop, deputy chairman of the ruling AK Party, said.

Turkey's electoral authorities are not officially due to announce their first results until Monday, with final figures due later in the week, but Erdogan, 60, is expected to make a victory address later today.