Ankara, May 15 (IANS): Initial results of Turkey's presidential election have showed incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ahead with 52.9 per cent of votes compared to Opposition rival Kemal Kilicdaroglu with 41.2 per cent, according to the unofficial preliminary results carried by the semi-official Anadolu Agency.

Nearly 38 per cent of the ballot boxes are opened, and the gap between Erdogan and Kilicdaroglu is narrowing as more votes are counted, said the report on Sunday.

If no presidential candidate wins more than 50 per cent of the vote, a runoff vote will be held on May 28, Xinhua news agency reported.

Sunday's presidential and parliamentary elections are one of the most consequential events that could either stretch incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's tenure into a third term or set Turkey on a new course.

The voter turnout was noticeably high as electorates formed long queues in polling stations across the country.

International observers were deployed across the country, including the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe mission.

Nearly 61 million voters are registered to cast their ballots. Ahead of the elections, more than 1.76 million Turks abroad have cast their votes at diplomatic missions and customs gates between April 27 and May 9.