Turkish Opposition Wins Several Key Mayoral Elections in Blow to Erdoğan
Summary from the AllSides News Team
In Turkey, the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) swept to victory in a series of mayoral elections on Sunday, marking a defeat for longtime President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his AK Party.
The Details: The CHP successfully defended its mayoral posts in the nation’s capital Ankara and its biggest city, Istanbul. Additionally, it notched mayoral wins in 15 other cities across the country, several of which were AK strongholds. The results could signify an impending shift in Turkey’s political landscape, as the country remains crippled by high inflation and interest rates.
For Context: Erdoğan, who has ruled Turkey since 2003, was reelected as President last May. Unlike presidential elections, where diaspora and nationals living abroad can vote, only Turks living in the country can participate in local elections.
Key Quotes: İmamoğlu told supporters on Sunday, “Tonight, 16 million Istanbul citizens sent a message to both our rivals and the president. Those who do not understand the nation’s message will eventually lose.” Erdoğan noted that his alliance “lost altitude” but added, “If we made a mistake, we will fix it. If we have anything missing, we will complete it.”
How The Media Covered It: Outlets across the spectrum labeled the results as a significant blow for Erdoğan. Politico (Lean Left bias) said Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu “is seen as a future challenger to Erdoğan.” The Telegraph (Lean Right bias) called him a “serious challenger” but included context on current legal woes he is facing that could lead to jail time.
Featured Coverage of this Story
From the Left
Turkey’s Erdoğan suffers blow in crucial mayoral elections as secular opposition surges
Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan suffered a major blow on Sunday, with initial results showing the country’s main opposition party notched up regional election victories around the country.
The opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) held onto or captured the country’s five biggest cities in Sunday’s vote, which had been seen as a make-or-break moment for a movement still reeling from Erdoğan’s victory in the Turkish presidential contest in May 2023.
The CHP saw its biggest triumph in Istanbul, where Ekrem Imamoğlu was reelected mayor. Europe’s biggest city, Istanbul accounts for 18 percent of Turkey’s...
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Turkish local elections: Opposition stuns Erdogan with historic victory
Turkey's main opposition party has claimed big election victories in the main cities of Istanbul and Ankara.
The results are a significant blow for Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who had hoped to regain control of the cities less than a year after he claimed a third term as president.
He led the campaign to win in Istanbul, where he grew up and became mayor.
But Ekrem Imamoglu, who first won the city in 2019, scored a second victory for the secular opposition CHP.
Mr Erdogan had vowed a new era in...
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Erdogan’s party suffers biggest election upset in more than 20 years
Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his party suffered their biggest upset in more than two decades on Sunday as the opposition swept municipal elections in Istanbul and other major cities.
The Republican People’s Party (CHP) retained mayoral seats in two key cities – Istanbul and the capital, Ankara.
The CHP also gained 15 new mayoral seats in cities across the country, advancing in locales that were previously strongholds of the Turkish president and his AK Party (AKP), marking the worst defeat since the latter came to power 21 years ago.
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