Erdogan calls election defeat a victory for Turkey's democracy

President says Trump administration's threat to cancel F-35 is unacceptable

"It is out of the question" for Turkey to compromise on an F-35 order that the U.S. has threatened to cancel, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told Nikkei in a June 26 interview in Ankara. (Photo by Cevahir Bugu)

MOMOKO KIDERA and SINAN TAVSAN, Nikkei staff writers

June 27, 2019 04:55 JST

ANKARA -- "Turkish democracy" is the winner of the rerun Istanbul mayoral election in which Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ruling party suffered a major defeat, the Turkish president told Nikkei in an exclusive interview Wednesday.

"In Turkey, there is no will above the will of the nation, and no decision above the decision of the nation," Erdogan said.