Turkish President Erdoğan faces defeat in local elections

Ankara: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his party have suffered a big blow in the Municipal elections of Turkey. The Turkish president suffered the worst defeat after being in power for 22 years.

The opposition Republican Peoples Party (CHP) achieved a historic victory after 70 years, opposition candidates won the mayoral seats in 15 cities of the country, including the capital Ankara and Istanbul.

Istanbul Mayor Imamoglu has a 10-point lead, with thousands of people celebrating Mayor Mansuryavas' victory in Ankara.

Overall, the ruling Etihad Party is leading in 340 districts and the opposition Republican Peoples Party (CHP) in 240 districts.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan admitted defeat in the local elections, while giving a statement on the defeat of his AK Party in major cities including Ankara and Istanbul. He said that the Turkish people sent their message to the politicians by voting in the local elections. The results will be reviewed in the party and they will hold themselves accountable.

Tayyip Erdoğan stated that March 31 is not the end but the turning point for us. Nine months after winning the May 2023 election, we could not get the desired results, but we will closely review our performance and plan for the future.

Erdogan, 70, personally campaigned to recapture Istanbul, the city that is the powerhouse of Turkey's economy and where the Turkish president began his political journey as mayor, but rampant inflation and an economic crisis have ruled him out. The trust of the party has been hurt.