Blow to Erdogan: Opposition secures major victories in Turkey’s local polls
The results showcased Republican People’s Party retaining its grip on key urban areas
Ankara, Turkey - In a significant blow to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, the main opposition party secured substantial victories in Sunday’s local elections, maintaining control over crucial cities and making substantial gains elsewhere, according to preliminary results, The Washington Post reported.
The results showcased the Republican People’s Party (CHP) retaining its grip on key urban areas, dealing a setback to Erdogan’s ambitions of reclaiming control over these pivotal territories.
With nearly 60 per cent of the ballot boxes tallied, incumbent Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu of the CHP led the race in Istanbul, Turkey’s largest city and economic nucleus, The Washington Post reported, citing, state broadcaster TRT.
Similarly, Mansur Yavas, the incumbent mayor of Ankara, clinched victory by a considerable margin, according to preliminary results.
The CHP was ahead in 36 of
Turkey’s 81 provinces, The Washington Post reported, citing, results shown by TRT.
This electoral showdown was viewed as a barometer for President Erdogan’s popularity, as he aimed to recapture territories lost to the opposition in the elections five years ago. The CHP’S previous victories in Ankara and Istanbul in 2019 had punctured Erdogan’s aura of invincibility.
The focal point of the electoral battle was Istanbul, a city of 16mn people, where Erdogan commenced his political journey as
mayor in 1994. The outcome served as a testament to the electorate’s desire for change and represented a substantial boost for the opposition, which had grappled with division and demoralisation following last year’s electoral defeats.
“The voters decided to establish a new political order in Turkey,” said CHP leader Ozgur Ozel to a jubilant crowd of supporters. “Today, the voters decided to change the 22-year-old picture in Turkey and open the door to a new political climate in
our country.” In Ankara, a jubilant crowd congregated outside City Hall to celebrate Yavas’ resounding victory, chanting slogans of pride for their mayor, ‘Ankara is proud of you’.
Sinan Ulgen, director of the Istanbul-based Edam think tank, said ‘the surprising outcome’ was voters’ desire to penalise the ruling party for the depth of economic turmoil gripping the nation. Mounting inflationary pressures have rendered basic commodities unaffordable for many Turkish households.
“Turnout was relatively low compared to past elections,” he said. “There were cross-party shifts in the vote, which did not happen in the national elections because of stronger ideological attachments. This time around, the economy prevailed over identity.” Approximately 61mn individuals, which included over a million newly eligible voters, were eligible to participate in the elections for metropolitan municipalities, town and district mayorships, as well as neighbourhood administrations.
The Washington Post reported that voter turnout, citing the state-operated Anadolu Agency, stood at approximately 76 per cent, a decrease from the 87 per cent recorded in the previous year.
Despite a substantial security presence comprising 5,94,000 personnel across the nation, sporadic incidents marred the otherwise peaceful electoral process. In Diyarbakir, a dispute over the election of a neighbourhood administrator escalated into violence, resulting in one fatality and multiple injuries. Similar clashes erupted in the province of Sanliurfa, leaving several individuals wounded.
“According to the data we have obtained, it seems our citizens’ trust in us, their faith in us has paid off,” Imamoglu said.
Preliminary results indicated Imamoglu secured approximately 50 per cent of the votes in Istanbul, while AKP’S candidate, Murat Kurum, trailed with 41 per cent, as reported by TRT.
Imamoglu, a charismatic figure widely touted as a potential challenger to Erdogan’s dominance, ran independently of some parties that supported him in his previous victory in 2019. Notably, both the pro-kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party and the nationalist IYI Party fielded their own candidates in this election, signalling a fractured opposition landscape.