Turkey’s main opposition party has claimed significant victories in the key cities of Istanbul and Ankara in a recent election, marking a major blow for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The incumbent mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem Imamoglu, secured a second victory for the secular opposition CHP, winning over 50% of the vote, while in Ankara, opposition mayor Mansur Yavas had a commanding lead with 59% of the vote.
This defeat for Erdogan’s AK Party is the first time in 21 years that the party has been defeated across the country at the ballot box. The opposition also secured victories in other major cities like Izmir, Bursa, Adana, and Antalya, signaling a significant shift in Turkey’s political landscape.
President Erdogan, while acknowledging the election did not go as planned, assured his supporters that it marks a turning point rather than an end for his party. This defeat is seen as a call for change from Turkish voters, with many seeing Imamoglu and Yavas as potential presidential candidates for 2028.
The election results are a triumph for the opposition and a blow to Erdogan’s hopes of consolidating power. The people of Turkey have spoken, and it remains to be seen how this historic election will shape the country’s future political landscape.