More than 1,100 local elections were held in Turkey on Sunday, but most eyes were on the mayoral elections in Istanbul and the capital, Ankara.
And in both cities of millions, as well as in the country’s third city, Izmir, the more secular CHP looks set to retain power. All the votes had not yet been counted at 9 p.m., but the lead in all three cities is large enough for the elections to be considered decided.
– Our citizens’ faith in us has been rewarded, says Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu according to AFP.
Thus, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his conservative Islamist AKP are once again losing power in the local economic centers.
The beginning of a new era
Erdogan’s own path to power took off in Istanbul, when he was elected mayor in 1994. This year, he put a lot of energy into campaigning for his candidate, former environment minister Murat Kurum, to take over the post and for the party to regain the power it lost in 2019.
When the president cast his vote on Sunday, he said:
– This election will mark the beginning of a new era for our country.
If it does, it may not be as Erdogan wishes. That Imamoglu won again is seen as a sign that he could be the next person to challenge the powerful Erdogan in the 2028 presidential election.
– Whoever wins Istanbul wins Turkey, says analyst Erman Bakirci to AFP.