Turkey Elections 2018 LIVE: Latest updates as Erdogan declares VICTORY

Today Turkey voted to keep its president and parliament with current president Recep Tayyip Erdogan running for a second term and extending his 15 years in power.

President Erdogan has won every vote so far and after today's victory was declared as the last of the votes were tallied, celebated yet another snap election which will see him scoop  new powers that had been approved in a referendum in 2017.

He said: “The Turkish public has mandated me as president according to unofficial results.

“I hope nobody will damage democracy by casting a shadow on this election and its results to hide their failure.”

His leading opponent was Muharram Ince who battled along with 30.8 percent of votes in an 87 percent turnout.

Presidency in Turkey was once a ceremonial position, but after today's election will become a position of significant power.

Below are the Express.co.uk live updates.

All times below are in BST.

9.15pm update: Thousands flock to streets to celebrate Erdogan victory

Thousands of supporters of President Erdogan have swarmed the streets of Turkey in celebration of his election success today. Flags were waved and flares lit up the night sky as people congratulated his victory.

8:50pm update: BREAKING: Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has declared victory in Sunday's presidential election

He  said his ruling AK Party and its alliance partner had won a parliamentary majority.

However, the main opposition party said it was too early to concede defeat and said it believed Erdogan could still fall short of the 50 percent needed to avoid a runoff on July 8.

In a short speech from Istanbul, he said: "Our people have given us the job of carrying out the presidential and executive posts, 

"I hope nobody will try to cast a shadow on the results and harm democracy in order to hide their own failure."

8.32pm update: Bloomberg’s Turkey Bureau chief warns votes from big cities still coming in

Bloomberg’s Turkey Bureau chief Benjamin Harvey has said votes from Turkey’s big cities are yet to come in and could change the election outlook significantly.

8.35pm update: Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov congratulates Erdogan on victory

Macedonian’s Gjorge Ivanov shared a telephone call with President Erdogan in which he congratulated his Turkish counterpart on victory as the last votes come in. Kuwait’s Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah has also called the Turkish leader.

8.30pm update: President Erdogan on 52.85 percent as last five percent of votes counted

President Erdogan now golds 52.85 percent of 95 percent of the votes tallied, while challenger Ince is on 30.66 percent

8.10pm update: Erdogan supporters flood the streets to celebrate victory 

Supporters of President Erdogan have swarmed onto the streets of Turkey waving flags to celebrate a victory as the last votes come in.

8pm update: World leaders congratulate President Erdogan on victory

Leaders from Sudan and Pakistan congratulate President Erdogan on winning the election as the final votes are counted.

7.50pm update: Turkey’s TV networks announce Erdogan as winner despite votes still being tallied

Turkey’s international TV channel has announced on Twitter that President Erdogan has won today’s election though no official announcement has been made and votes continue to be counted.

7.40pm update: President Erdogan rakes in 53.45 percent of votes as 88.9 percent of ballots counted

President Erdogan is on 53.45 percent while Ince battles to bridge the gap at 30.64 percent. Now, 88.9 percent of the votes have been counted as the candidates approach the final hurdle.

7.35pm update: Muharrem Ince claims just 37 percent of 88.9 percent of votes counted

President Erdogan’s leading opponent has claimed just 37 percent of votes have been counted while 88.9 percent were reported to have been tallied by the official Anadolu Agency. He also urged voters not to leave polling stations until all votes were in.

7.15pm update: President Erdogan prepares for victory speech

An AKP spokesman has confirmed President Erdogan is preparing for a balcony speech.

7.20pm update: Congratulations from Viktor Orban

Hungary’s Viktor Orban has called and congratulated Turkish President Erdogan on his election victory, Anadolu Agency reports.

7pm update: President Erdogan scoops 54.1 percent of votes while oppostion wins 30 percent taking seats in parliament 

Though President Erdogan has the majority at 54.1 percent of the 79.7 percent of votes counted, Muharrem Ince has jumped over the 10 percent threashold with 30 percent and scooped seats in parliament.

6.37pm update: 70.5 percent of votes counted show President Erdogan has scoped 55.08 percent of votes 

President Erdogan now stands at 55.08 percent of the 70.5 percent of votes counted, broadcasters say, while Muharrem Ince is at 29.4 percent. 

6.27pm update: Fears for riots as police crack down on anyone in a group

A police crackdown on groups of voters at polling stations has sparked fears riots could break out. Groups of demonstrators have already began throwing stones at police and flares have been set off.

6:13pm update: Latest results show President Erdogan gained 55.88 percent of the vote after 60 percent of the votes were counted

Broadcasters said Muharrem Ince, the main opposition's presidential candidate, stood at 29 percent nationwide. 

6:08pm update: There's high expectations for President Erdogan to extend his 15-year rule

Turkey's ruling AK Party official said they expect Erdogan to win the presidential election with a vote of at least 51 percent of the votes.  

The party and its alliance partners will have a majority in parliament, the official said speaking on condition of anonymity, adding that the pro-Kurdish opposition Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) was expected to exceed the 10 percent threshold to enter Turkey's parliament.

5:53pm update: Turkey's ruling AK Party has won 48.61 percent after a quarter of votes were counted

The AK Party's alliance partner, the MHP, had 12.54 percent.

The main opposition CHP had 18.12 pct and its ally the Iyi (Good) Party had 9.1 percent, they said.

The pro-Kurdish HDP party, which has no alliance partner and needs to get above the 10 percent threshold to take seats in parliament, was on 8.47 percent.

5:35pm update: President Erdogan had 57.02 percent of the vote with 40 percent of the votes counted in Turkey's presidential election

Muharrem Ince, the main opposition's presidential candidate, stood at 28.3 percent nationwide, television channels showed.

First results had been expected to give Erdogan and his Islamist-rooted AK Party a strong lead - one that could shorten as more votes are tallied across the nation of 81 million people.

If no candidate wins more than 50 percent in today's vote, a second round run-off will be held on July 8.

Reporter Rebecca Perring has now taken over live updates on tonight's Turkish election results... 

4.50pm update: The first set of results are in 

As the first set of results are in, Mr Erdogan has 58.8 percent of the vote, whilst Muharram Ince has 26.9 percent. 

There have only been 24 percent of ballot boxes counted so far, so the results could fluctuate dramatically.

Trailing behind are Aksener with 7.6 percent, Selahattin Demirtas with 5.6 percent, Karamollaoglu with 0.9 percent and Perincek with 0.2 percent.

4.30pm update: Opposition candidate Muharrem Ince has been receiving unofficial results

The polls closed just over an hour ago, and opposition presidential candidate Muharrem Ince has admitted to receiving unofficial early results. 

The early results are making him happy telling the T24 news site: “I’m smiling.”

Mr Ince is hoping that President Erdogan won't achieve 50 percent of the vote, meaning a second bout of elections would take place on July 8.

3.30pm update: Violence reported at one ballot station in Karacoban 

Local newspapers have reported the deaths of three Good Party workers, including the district chairman who were killed in a shooting. 

The shooting took place at the ISE Secondary School in Kopal, which was being used as a ballot station. 

Yenicag reports that Party Chairman for Erzurum Karacoban District, Mehmet Siddik Durmaz was killed during a gunfight at the makeshift ballot station. 

Good Party members have confirmed the violence. 

A statement released by CHP Karacoban District President Husnu Yilan said: “A young person came to the AKP Erzurum deputy candidate, whose name I did not know. 

“We did not agree to stop him. There was a fight. Fire. GOOD Party county chairman Mehmet Sıddık Durmaz, a voting citizen and Agit Yazan lost his life.”

3.15pm update: The polls have now closed

At 5pm local time (3pm BST) the polls closed across the country and votes will begin to be counted.

Currently, a media ban on poll results is in place in Turkey, which is thought to be being lifted between 6pm and 9pm local time (4pm and 7pm BST).

The media in Turkey will then be able to report on results as they are counted, which will last several hours.

2.30pm update: Reports of people detained in Turkey, carrying forged ballot papers

Police in Turkey have arrested three men for carrying four sacks full of ballot papers in a car heading to the Bilge Primary School in Suruç today.

According to the Demirören News Agency, police had been made aware of an attempt to bring the papers into a ballot station.

When police tried to stop the car, it reportedly sped up causing officers to fire their guns into the air to bring it to a stop. 

Four sacks full of voting papers have been seized and three men remain in custody.

1.30pm update: The main issues surrounding the election

Turkey remains in a state of emergency following a failed coup in 2016, the result of 107,000 soldiers and public servants being dismissed from their roles.

The economy is one of the main contention points during this election, with inflation having risen to more than 10 percent.

Another issue is religion, with Mr Edogan’s AKP party accepting some elements of Islamic symbols into public life, including allowing female state employees to wear headscarves.

12.40pm update: President Erdogan casts his vote accompanied by the First Lady

President Erdogan cast his vote at in Uskudar, Istanbul with First Lady Emine Erdogan, his daughter and son-in-law.

Speaking to Hurriyet Daily News Mr Erdogan commented on the amount of voters, “The turnout seems good,” he said.

The current president also claimed that 50 percent of the population had already voted.

11.30am update: Only female candidate Meral Aksener, casts her vote in Istanbul

Leader of the newly-established Iyi Party casts Meral Aksener places her vote in Istanbul.

The latest opinion polls placed Aksener with 8.5 percent of the vote, with the Iyi Party only being established in 2017. 

The Iyi party places its emphasis on the restoration of the parliamentary system, based on the principles and ideals of Turkey's founder Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.

11.00am update: Prevention of voting fraud in full effect across polling stations

Half a million monitors have been stationed at ballot boxes to prevent fraud.

Opposition argues that election law changes and fraud allegations in the 2017 referendum raise fears about keeping voting fair.

Leader of the main opposition CHP party, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, said after voting that his party were receiving complaints of irregularities in voting towards the southeast.

He said: "Every shadow cast over the election is a blow to our democracy. Hence it is my duty to warn all civil servants again: Please everybody do their duty,".

10.00am update: President Recep Tayyip Erdogan faces his biggest competition so far from Muharram Ince

Opinion polls place  Republican People’s Party (CHP) MP Muharram Ince as possessing 28 percent of the vote. 

For President Erdogan to receive a second term as president, he needs 50 percent of the vote or more. 

If he does not achieve half the votes or more, the presidential election will move to a second bout. 

This second round, which would take place on July 8, could decrease his authority or result in his defeat.

9.30am update: The opening and closing times for the polls

Polls opened at 8am local time (6am BST) and are due to close at 5pm local time (3pm BST).

The competition between candidates remains fierce, and the result will decide the direction of Turkey's political landscape. 

Additional reporting by Georgina Laud