He once wanted to "wipe out" Twitter and compared social media to a "murderer's knife," but President Recep Tayyip Erdogan couldn't resist sending a tweet on Monday to celebrate his party's election victory. 

The famously tech-phobic Erdogan issued a series of tweets on his official account after the Justice and Development Party (AKP) he co-founded reclaimed its parliamentary majority in Sunday's vote.

Germany on Monday welcomed Turkey's peaceful weekend election won by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's party and urged his government to rule "in the spirit of national unity".

Chancellor Angela Merkel's chief spokesman Steffen Seibert praised the peaceful election process and high voter turnout, which he said proved "how deeply the Turkish people are invested in the democratic process".

The European Union said Monday it looked forward to working with the new Turkish government after elections showed the people's "strong commitment" to democracy as it waited for an international report on the vote.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's Justice and Development Party (AKP) won Sunday's vote by a landslide, taking 316 seats in the 550-member parliament to easily form a government on its own after it lost its majority in a June ballot.

Selahattin Demirtas, the charismatic leader of Turkey's pro-Kurdish party, remains the biggest thorn in the side of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after managing to hold onto his HDP's cherished parliamentary representation, against considerable odds.

Nicknamed the "Kurdish Obama" for his smooth rhetorical skills, Demirtas propelled his Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) into mainstream politics with a message that embodies the hopes of Turkey's biggest minority, but also appeals to non-Kurds.

Turkish politicians hold their final campaign rallies Saturday for a vote many fear is unlikely to bring an end to months of instability as the country confronts bloody jihadist attacks and a renewed Kurdish conflict.

Opinion polls are predicting a replay Sunday of the shock June election which stripped the Justice and Development Party (AKP) of its majority after 13 years of single-party rule, leaving the country without a government after coalition talks failed.

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu's mild-mannered demeanor belies his abilities as a tough negotiator and strategic thinker who has been at the heart of government since Recep Tayyip Erdogan first came to power in 2003.

But the bookish former academic has had to battle to keep his Justice and Development Party (AKP) united in the face of a major election setback and risks losing his own job should it come up short again on Sunday.

Selahattin Demirtas, the charismatic leader of Turkey's pro-Kurdish party, is the man in the spotlight after he scored a stunning election breakthrough in June.

Nicknamed the "Kurdish Obama" for his smooth rhetorical skills, Demirtas propelled his Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) into mainstream politics with a message that embodies the hopes of Turkey's biggest minority but also appeals to non-Kurds.

The beheaded bodies of a Syrian activist opposed to the Islamic State jihadist group and a friend were found early Friday in the southern Turkish city of Sanliurfa, his colleagues said.

Ibrahim Abdul Qader, 20, and friend Fares Hamadi "were found beheaded at the friend's house this morning," Abu Mohammad, a founder of the activist's "Raqa Is Being Slaughtered Silently" group, told AFP via the Internet.

Key nations backing Syria's warring sides will seek to thrash out differences at talks Thursday as Iran readies to make its debut at international negotiations on ending the four-year conflict.

Russia, the United States, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, the four major powers meeting in Vienna, support opposite sides in a war the U.S.'s top diplomat has described as "hell".

The EU said Wednesday a police raid on a press group linked to a bitter rival of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was "worrying" and urged Ankara to respect media freedoms just ahead of key elections.

"The situation concerning Kozi-Ipek (is) worrying. We continue to follow the situation very closely," said Catherine Ray, spokeswoman for EU foreign affairs head Federica Mogherini.