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CHP claims victory over Erdogan's AKP in Ankara, Istanbul elections

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
1 Apr 2024 04:19
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Al Mayadeen's correspondent says 90% of ballot boxes were opened in most of the Turkish states and dealt a blow to Erdogan's party.

Ankara's Mayor and Republican People's Party (CHP) candidate Mansur Yavas waves to supporters in Ankara, Turkey March 31, 2024. Yavas led with 58.6 percent of the vote to 33.5 percent for his AKP opponent, with 46.4 percent of ballot boxes opened. (Photo by Adem ALTAN / AFP)

Turkey's main opposition party the Republican People's Party (CHP) on Sunday claimed victory in local elections in Istanbul and Ankara against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's Justice and Development Party (AKP).

Al Mayadeen's correspondent mentioned that 90% of ballot boxes were opened in most of the Turkish states and dealt a blow to the AKP.

Erdogan, addressing supporters at his party's headquarters in Ankara, acknowledged a "turning point" for his party and promised to respect the results.

Partial results from across the nation of 85 million people showed major advances for the CHP at the expense of Erdogan's AKP that has dominated politics for more than two decades.

With 96% of ballot boxes opened, Istanbul's CHP mayor Ekrem Imamoglu said he had led the local vote against Erdogan's candidate by more than one million votes. "We have won the election," he declared.

Large crowds filled the square outside the party's Istanbul city headquarters waving Turkish flags and lighting torches to celebrate the result.

Imamoglu, 52, is increasingly seen as the biggest rival to Erdogan's AKP ahead of the next presidential election in 2028.

In Ankara, the CHP mayor Mansur Yavas claimed victory in front of large crowds of supporters, declaring "the elections are over, we will continue to serve Ankara."

Yavas led with 58.6% of the vote to 33.5% for his AKP opponent, with 46.4% of ballot boxes opened.

The CHP was also ahead in Izmir, Turkey's third largest city, and Antalya where party supporters flooded onto the streets. Results even indicated that some AKP stronghold towns were at risk of being won over by the CHP.

"Voters have chosen to change the face of Turkey," said CHP chairman Ozgur Ozel as the results emerged. "They want to open the door to a new political climate in our country."

Erdogan acknowledged the electoral setback in a speech to supporters at the headquarters of his party.

"Unfortunately, we have not obtained the results that we wanted," he said.

"We will of course respect the decision of the nation. We will avoid being stubborn, acting against the national will and questioning the power of the nation," he added.

Some 61 million people were eligible to vote for mayors across Turkey's 81 provinces, as well as provincial council members and other local officials.