Recep Tayyip Erdogan serenaded supporters after winning the presidential election in Turkey and once again showed that he is perfect when it comes to fighting at the polls.
He understood the electorate better than various pollsters and analysts, who hinted that the opposition could defeat him.
Not this time though.
His opponent, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, was only four percent behind, and there is no doubt that Erdogan will be thinking about how he begins his third presidential term.
This country, strategically important for NATO, chose its own path, the majority of voters opted for an autocrat, and not for an unproven democrat in the form of Kilicdaroglu.
The opposition leader campaigned as Mr. Nice Guy, initially promising a new spring for Turkey.
Later he turned right, he said that he would send all the refugees home.
With this, he received additional support from nationalists, but not enough.
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Turkish Islamist leader Erdogan has a 20-year relationship with his followers.
Many are religious conservatives like him.
They decided to stick with him despite the problems and hyperinflation, giving him a new five-year term.
As the results of the second round were announced, the streets of the capital Ankara became a kaleidoscope of Turkish flags, car horns and cheers from Erdogan supporters.
A huge number of people flocked in front of his huge presidential palace with more than 1.000 rooms.
His rival previously announced that he would put it into public use.
"We are blessed by the fact that our president continues to lead us," said Khadija Duran, 50, smiling broadly under her headscarf.
"This is an indescribable feeling. Let the whole world hear. He is a leader who defied the whole world and taught the whole world a lesson."
This is also the key image of Erdogan in Turkey: a strong leader, the last sultan who bows to no one.
The message of the election is that many here prefer the tough guy to the nice guy.
Now he is only further encouraged.
The opposition in the country is bruised, and Moscow is celebrating.
This is the outcome that Russian President Vladimir Putin wanted - it was not surprising that he was among the first to congratulate Erdogan on his victory.
Putin did everything he could to tip the scales in his favor, such as delaying payments of $600 million for Russian natural gas.
Erdogan entered the elections with many advantages: his street smarts, feeling for the people and control of 90 percent of the media.
In his victory speech, Erdogan said that there are no losers and that "only Turkey is the winner", but he criticized the opposition and the LGBTK community.
Both could be targeted even more now, and human rights and freedom of speech could be further restricted in the coming years.
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There aren't many checks and balances in Turkish society, and Turkey's longest-serving leader is not known for his restraint.
Those who wanted changes - almost 48 percent of the voters - will be disappointed, and perhaps even scared.
Many predict that in the public life of this secular republic, which will mark its centenary in October, there will be more faith and less freedom.
Turkey is now a divided nation with a shaken, almost collapsed economy.
Critics say that President Erdogan has no solution for either.
And where does the election result leave Turkey's neighbors and its NATO allies?
They will be cautious, knowing that Erdogan often enjoys upsetting the established international order.
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