Turkey presidential election latest: 'Bye bye bye Kemal' - Erdogan thanks crowds as election officials declare him winner

As Erdogan wins another term, many voters are fearful about what lies ahead in the future.

Sky's Special correspondent, Alex Crawford reports live from Istanbul...

Analysis by Alex Crawford, special correspondent in Istanbul

The man who revels in his image as Turkey's strongman took an early lead almost as soon as polls closed in the second round of voting for President. Celebrations began long before the official declaration. But in truth, the dye was cast some time ago, before the election.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan's demeanour even before campaigning began has been one of a leader comfortably confident of securing his third decade in power in a country which holds a uniquely significant geographical position in the world.

Even has he voted during the first round, he appeared supremely relaxed about his chances of winning. This was despite the polls showing him trailing behind his challenger, the leader of a six-party alliance called Kemal Kilicdaroglu.

Erdogan's re-election comes in the teeth of a spiralling economy, rampant inflation, and in the wake of a disastrous natural disaster clouded by accusations his government was slow to respond.

"We are so happy," one of his fans said outside his Istanbul home. "Our economy is good... Ok, it's been bad for two years but we trust him and he will do his best."

"Bye bye Kemal," others said.

People gathered waving flags, setting off fireworks and singing and dancing down the roads leading to his home in the Uskudar district of the city were predominantly religious conservatives, many of them women, mostly wearing hijabs and conservative Muslim clothing.

This was the closest President Erdogan had come to being unseated. But the odds were always heavily stacked against any electoral upset or success by his rival. Erdogan has spent his two decades at the helm consolidating his power - cracking down on dissent, intimidating and jailing Opposition politicians and journalists, and ensuring the Turkish media is mostly state-controlled and complaint.

International observers in the country who were monitoring the initial vote criticised Erdogan's use of state resources and his control of the media to unduly influence the electorate. Once the dust has settled, they're likely to voice the same concerns this time around.

In his concession speech, Mr Kilicdoruglu called it the 'most unjust election campaign ever' referring to the heavily biased coverage of the President's campaign in most Turkish outlets.

His critics believe his next five years in office are likely to see him take the country further down the autocratic path he embarked on a number of years ago.

Erdogan has once again proved the critics wrong and out-maneuvered his toughest challengers and his grip on power seems unassailable.

President Erdogan says he will secure the return of an additional one million Syrian refugees. 

Millions have made their home in the country. 

"We made a deal with Qatar for a new project in Syria," he tells the crowd.

He says the project will build new homes for these refugees.

He also promises to prioritise rebuilding the cities that collapsed in the 6 February earthquake.

"I am not an accounting expert, but it appears there was an error in the expert's accounting," Erdogan tells the gathered crowds.

He says, in 2018 the CHP (the opposition party) had 146 seats and in 2023 they had 169.

"As you can see, there is an increase," he says. But he says the party is not more powerful because it is part of an alliance.

He accuses 40 MPs of being "rented out".

"He [the opposition leader Kilicdaroglu] gave some of the seats to the other parties in his alliance and it went down to 129. Is 129 bigger than 146?" he says mockingly. 

Rampant inflation has been a problem in Turkey. Turkish annual inflation slowed to 44% in April - but in late 2021 Erdogan sparked a currency crisis that sent it to a 24-year peak of almost 86%. 

President Erdogan says inflation will fall "like rates fell".

He says this is the most urgent issue, but adds that is it not difficult to solve.

"Security and stability, these two terms are very important," he adds.

US President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken have congratulated President Erdogan.

This year, Turkey celebrates 100 years of the modern Turkish Republic.

Erdogan promises to "build the century of Turkey".

He also said releasing the former pro-Kurdish party leader Demirtas is not possible. 

(Selahattin Demirtas is a politician of the Peoples Democratic Party and was first arrested in November 2016. He was accused of having established and led a terrorist organization, propagandizing for a terrorist organization, or being a leading member of the Kurdistan Workers Party.)

Shots of the crowds show people holding up phones with 'Bay bay Kemal'. This is a pun: 'bay' is how you phonetically spell 'bye' in Turkish, but the Turkish word 'bay' means 'mister'.

This has been "one of the most important elections", Erdogan tells the gathered crowds.

He says he is not the only one to have won: "The winners are our nation with all of its constituent parts.

"The winners are democracy, our democracy."

The "only losers" are the ones who have "created dirty scenarios" he says. 

He pledges that "nobody has lost today - of the 85 million, all of them have won". 

He adds: "We know that Turkey's strength is in the 85 million being all together."

He begins by singing to the crowds - which he says are 320,000 people strong.

"We love Turkey very much," he begins by saying. "How can you not love this nation? We love it."

"You did not let down the People's Alliance," he say, speaking to his supporters.

"My dear nation, my citizens watching us on their television screens, dear people of Ankara. My dear comrades in arms, I greet you with my most heartfelt feelings.

"In the second round of the presidential election, thank God there was no problem of any note and the election has been completed according to the provisional election result.

"Our nation has entrusted for another five years the position of president to me."

Why this speech is a break with convention:

Erdogan is delivering his Ankara victory speech from the presidential palace, which is a break from convention. 

Until now all Turkish election winners have spoken from their party's headquarters - something Erdogan has also always done. 

Speaking from the presidential palace, which is government property, rather than party headquarters is a sign of the ever-blurring line in Turkey between party and state.

Ukraine's President Zelenskyy has tweeted Erdogan.

"I congratulate the President of Turkey @RTErdogan on the occasion of his victory in the presidential elections," he said. 

"We count on the further strengthening of the strategic partnership for the benefit of our countries, as well as the strengthening of cooperation for the security and stability of Europe."