Turkey appeared headed for a runoff presidential election, with the parties of both Tayyip Erdogan and opposition rival Kemal Kilicdaroglu both claiming the lead but sources in both camps admitting they may not clear the 50% threshold to win outright.

Early results put Erdogan comfortably ahead, but as the count continued his advantage eroded, with a runoff on May 28 beckoning.

Both sides dismissed the other side’s count, with no official result announced. Ankara’s opposition mayor Mansur Yavas said a count by his party suggested Kilicdaroglu was ahead with 47.42 percent, while Erdogan had 46.48%.

Opinion polls before the election had given Kilicdaroglu, who heads a six-party alliance, a slight lead, with two polls on Friday showing him above the 50% threshold.

[I don’t see Erdogan going quietly into that good night. ~ Beege]