Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Anadolu Agency | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images
Turks punished President Tayyip Erdogan and his party in local elections across the country on Sunday, reaffirming the opposition as a political force and strengthening Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu. status as the president’s future chief rival.
When the votes were counted, Imamoglu led by nearly 10 percentage points in the mayoral race of Turkey’s largest city, Istanbul, while his Republican People’s Party retained Ankara and gained nine other municipalities in the country’s largest cities. Long seats.
Analysts say Erdogan and his Justice and Development Party (AKP) have ruled Turkey for more than two decades, suffering from soaring inflation, discontent among Islamist voters and the appeal of Imamoglu in Istanbul beyond the republic. The performance of the PPP’s secular base has been even worse than polls predicted.
“The favor and trust that our citizens have in us is really reflected,” Imamoglu, 53, said. A former businessman who entered politics in 2008, he is now viewed by analysts as a potential presidential challenger.
In the capital Ankara, thousands of supporters gathered at night, waving Republican People’s Party flags, to listen to a speech by Republican People’s Party mayor Mansur Yavas, who defeated a challenger from the Justice and Development Party. This is another blow to Erdogan.
Erdogan has waged a tough campaign ahead of municipal elections, which analysts say is a measure of his support and the durability of the opposition. The president’s disappointing performance could signal a change in the political landscape that divides major emerging economies.
Hours after the polls closed, the president traveled from Istanbul to Ankara to address the nation.
According to 79.77% of the ballot boxes in Istanbul, Europe’s largest city (population over 16 million), Imamoglu received 50.53% support, while AKP challenger Mulla, a former minister in Erdogan’s national government Te Kurum received 40.73% of the support.
Polls predict tight competition in Istanbul, with CHP likely to suffer nationwide.
However, part of the official results reported by the state-run Anadolu news agency showed that the Justice and Development Party and its main allies gave up the mayoralty of 10 large cities in the industrial northwest, including Bursa and Balikesir.
Results showed the CHP leading nationally with nearly 1 percent of the vote for the first time in 35 years.
Mert Arslanalp, assistant professor of political science at Bogazioni University in Istanbul, said this was Erdogan’s “most serious electoral defeat” since he came to power in 2002.
“Imamoglu has proven that he can reach across the deep socio-political divisions of Turkey’s opposition voters even without their institutional support,” he said. “This makes him the Erdogan regime’s most powerful figure at the national level.” politically competitive rivals.”
The Rise of Imamoglu
In 2019, Imamoglu dealt Erdogan a heavy electoral blow when he first won Istanbul, ending 25 years of rule over the city by the AKP and its Islamist predecessors, including Erdogan in 1990. experience as mayor during the 1990s. The same year, the CHP also won Ankara.
Despite a years-long cost-of-living crisis, the president fought back in 2023, working with nationalist allies to secure re-election and a parliamentary majority.
Analysts say economic pressures, including an inflation rate of nearly 70% and slowing growth from an aggressive monetary tightening regime, are prompting voters to punish the AKP this time around.
“The economy is the decisive factor,” said Hakan Akbas, senior advisor at Albright Stonebridge Group. “The Turkish people are demanding change and Imamoglu is now El Default enemy of President Dogan.”
Supporters waving flags in front of Istanbul’s city government building said they wanted to see Imamoglu challenge Erdogan for the future presidency.
“We are very happy. I love him very much. We want to see him as president,” said Ezra, a homemaker.
The Islamic New Welfare Party has taken a tougher stance on Israel than Erdogan on the issue of the Gaza conflict. The rising public support for the Islamic New Welfare Party has also weakened the support of the Justice and Development Party. The party captured Sanliurfa from an AKP incumbent in the southeast.
Imamoglu was re-elected despite the collapse of the opposition coalition that failed to oust Erdogan last year.
The main pro-Kurdish party that supported Imamoglu in 2019 fielded its own Democratic candidate in Istanbul this time. But results showed that many Kurds abandoned their party loyalty and voted for him again.
In the predominantly Kurdish southeast, the pro-democracy movement once again proved its strength, winning 10 provinces. Following previous elections, the state replaced pro-Kurdish mayors with state-appointed “trustees” over alleged links to militants.
Violence broke out earlier in the day, including a clash in the southeast where armed groups armed with guns, sticks and stones left one person dead and 11 injured. In another incident, a neighborhood official (or “mutair” candidate) was killed and four people were killed. He was injured during the fighting, Anadolu reported.
Several people were injured in other incidents on the eve of the vote in Bursa, with one person shot and two wounded, Demiroren reported.
