By NewsBlogger The upcoming local elections in Turkey will be a crucial test for President Erdogan as they will determine control of key cities like Istanbul and Ankara, with potential implications for the country’s political landscape.
At a glance
- Local elections in Turkey are crucial for President Erdogan to determine control of key cities like Istanbul and Ankara.
- Erdogan sees winning major cities as a way to gain access to foreign funds and increase international visibility.
- The ruling AK Party aims to use the elections to usher in a new constitution reflecting conservative values.
- The opposition is determined to retain control of Istanbul and Ankara to boost morale and remobilize supporters.
- The economic crisis in Turkey and clashes in the Kurdish-majority southeast may impact voter turnout and election results.
The details
Local elections in Turkey are set to be a crucial test for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as the vote will determine who controls key cities like Istanbul and Ankara, both of which Erdogan lost in the 2019 elections.
Erdogan, who is seeking to win back Istanbul, where he began his political career, views winning major cities as a matter of prestige, a means of gaining access to foreign funds, and a means of increasing visibility on the international scene.
The ruling AK Party, led by Erdogan, aims to use these local elections as an opportunity to usher in a new constitution that reflects conservative values.
Opposition’s Determination
On the other hand, the opposition is determined to retain control of Istanbul and Ankara in order to boost morale and remobilize its supporters.
A total of 61 million people, including over a million first-time voters, were eligible to vote in these elections.
Initial results are expected to be announced by 10 pm GMT. However, clashes in Turkey’s Kurdish-majority southeast have already resulted in one fatality and 12 injuries, potentially affecting voter turnout in the region.
Impact of Economic Crisis
The economic crisis in Turkey may also impact voter turnout, with disillusioned opposition supporters possibly choosing to stay home.
The Istanbul race is expected to close, with incumbent mayor Ekrem Imamoglu facing off against AK Party’s candidate Murat Kurum.
Imamoglu is running without the support of some parties that helped him win in 2019, making the outcome uncertain.
The winner of these elections will have far-reaching implications on Turkey’s political landscape, with a rise in support for the Islamist New Welfare Party potentially working against Erdogan.
In Ankara, the incumbent Mayor, Mansur Yavas, is expected to retain his post.
In the mainly Kurdish-populated southeast, the DEM Party is projected to win many municipalities but may face challenges from the government.
Article X-ray
Sources
Here are all the sources used to create this article:
Facts attribution
This section links each of the article’s facts back to its original source.
If you suspect false information in the article, you can use this section to investigate where it came from.
| aljazeera.com |
|---|
| – Local elections in Turkey are a crucial test for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan – The vote will decide who controls Istanbul and Ankara, both of which Erdogan lost in 2019 – Erdogan is seeking to win back Istanbul, where he began his political career – Winning major cities means access to foreign funds and visibility in the international scene – Erdogan’s party, the AK Party, aims to usher in a new constitution reflecting conservative values – Opposition hopes to keep Istanbul and Ankara to boost morale and remobilize supporters – 61 million people, including over a million first-time voters, were eligible to vote – Initial results expected by 10pm GMT – Clashes in Turkey’s Kurdish-majority southeast left one dead and 12 wounded – Turnout may be affected by economic crisis, with disillusioned opposition supporters possibly staying home – Close race expected between Istanbul’s incumbent mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu, and AK Party’s candidate Murat Kurum – Imamoglu running without support of some parties that helped him win in 2019 – Whoever wins the polls will have far-reaching implications on Turkey’s politics – Rise in support for the Islamist New Welfare Party may work against Erdogan – In Ankara, incumbent Mayor Mansur Yavas expected to retain his post – In mainly Kurdish-populated southeast, the DEM Party is expected to win many municipalities but may face challenges from the government |
