Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan waves to the crowd on top of a bus in downtown Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, Aug. 10, 2014. Turks were voting in their first direct presidential election Sunday _ a watershed event in Turkey鈥檚 91-year history, where the president was previously elected by Parliament. Erdogan on Sunday vowed a 鈥渘ew era鈥� of reconciliation in Turkey after winning a 鈥渉istoric鈥� victory in the presidential elections. AP PHOTO/EMRAH GUREL
ANKARA, Turkey鈥揟urkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday vowed a 鈥渘ew era鈥� of reconciliation in Turkey after winning a 鈥渉istoric鈥� victory in presidential elections.
鈥淭oday we are closing an era and taking the first step for a new era,鈥� Erdogan said in a victory speech from the balcony of his party headquarters in Ankara, promising a 鈥渘ew social reconciliation process.鈥�
He thanke 鈥渆ach and every citizen, whether they voted for me or not, who contributed to the writing of history on such a historic day,鈥� adding that the 鈥渄ebates of the past鈥� would now be left behind.