Turkish local elections: Opposition stuns Erdogan with historic victory

[brooklynite]

Source: BBC News

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.

...snip...

Mr Erdogan had vowed a new era in Turkey's megacity of almost 16 million people, but the incumbent mayor of Istanbul was on course to win more than 50% of the vote, over 10 points ahead of the president's AK Party candidate.

...snip...

In the capital Ankara, opposition mayor Mansur Yavas was so far ahead of his rival on 59% that he declared victory when less than half the votes were in. Supporters blocked all the main roads in the city, waving flags and sounding their car horns.



Read more: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-68704375

[marble falls]

1. Is Turkey a parlimentery system?

[brooklynite]

2. Yes, but with a separately elected President.

[marble falls]

3. Interesting. Who calls elections. Does Ertegon decide the parliment is not working and call an election?

[Hamlette]

5. no, the presidential and parliamentary elections were in 23 and they serve for 5 years

today's election sound to be like off year local elections here.

I love Turkey. We were there Christmas of 22. Everyone hated him and said he'd never win "unless the election is rigged".

[bahboo]

4. on the surface, looks like good news...

will be interesting to see what develops here....

[rpannier]

6. My guess is very little will change

His party is much weaker in Ankara, but very strong in more rural areas.
His position is not threatened by these results
His party has lost local elections before
They did worse than expected

[prodigitalson]

8. Of course the cities are were the cool people are and the countryside has the crazies...that's

everwhere probably.. certainly true here

and edited to say this was a major ass kicking of unexpected proportions. Erdoghan's party got creamed in Istanbul - his hometown where he used to be the mayor

[prodigitalson]

7. Turkey is a great country full of great people.

I teach a lot of Turks online and they are all happy campers right now.

[Martin68]

9. Good news.

[Igel]

10. This made me smile.

That doesn't happen often.