The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) swept to a surprise victory in Sunday’s snap parliamentary polls, returning the country to single-party rule just five months after it lost its majority for the first time in more than a decade.

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) swept to a surprise victory in Sunday’s snap parliamentary polls, returning the country to single-party rule just five months after it lost its majority for the first time in more than a decade.

With almost all ballots tallied early Monday, the AKP was shown holding just under 50 percent of the vote and projected to win at least 316 seats in the 550-member parliament – a far wider margin of victory than predicted. Preliminary results showed the main opposition CHP party on track to win just over 25 percent.

Another opposition party – the MHP – and the pro-Kurdish HDP also earned seats in the assembly.