Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan emerged victorious in the nation's first presidential election on Sunday and delivered a statement promoting unity and democracy.

State-owned news agency Anadolu released figures showing Erdogan garnered 51.95 percent of the votes with 99 percent of the ballot boxes already counted. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu of the opposition took 38.34 percent of the votes while Selahattin Demirtas gained 9.71 percent, The Guardian detailed.

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In his victory speech, Erdogan said his win was a victory for both "national will" and "democracy."

The former prime minister's victory was expected since opinion polls indicated he had a big advantage over his rivals Ihsanoglu and Demirtas, leaders of the Democratic People's Party (HDP).

However, the pro-Kurdish party was able to significantly increase their votes in various provinces beyond the Kurdish region.

Istanbul-based computer engineer Dilek Cilingir attributed the low turnout to the loss of hope among people, explaining that many Turks have given up and did not vote because they thought Erdogan would still win.

Doruy Aksoy, an election volunteer, argued that the timing of the election was at fault because many people set their summer trips at around the same time.

Voicing his initial reaction to the election results, Demirtas called the election campaign "unfair and unequal," but vowed to continue promoting their cause.

Parliament previously picked Erdogan, but in 2010, the Turks received the power to choose their president via direct vote. Critics fear that Erdogan's new position would help him turn Turkey into a more authoritarian nation.

Erdogan has enjoyed an authoritarian rule since 2003 despite growing opposition. His Justice and Development party (AKP) won in local polls held March in spite of a widespread corruption scandal and a series of protests in the country.

The new president's victory would further strengthen his power over Turkey. For many, this could mean that critics will have more difficulty opposing "the new Turkey" with Erdogan as president.

TagsRecep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey, Dilek Cilingir, The Guardian, Istanbul, Doruy Aksoy, AKP, HDP, Justice and Development party, Selahattin Demirtas, Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, Democratic People's Party