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| Turkey local elections: Erdogan fights for nation's confidence | Turkey local elections: Erdogan fights for nation's confidence |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Millions of people are voting in Turkey's local elections, which are widely seen as a referendum on President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. | Millions of people are voting in Turkey's local elections, which are widely seen as a referendum on President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. |
| The poll comes amidst an economic downturn, with the governing AK Party fearing it could lose control of Ankara and Istanbul, Turkey's biggest cities. | The poll comes amidst an economic downturn, with the governing AK Party fearing it could lose control of Ankara and Istanbul, Turkey's biggest cities. |
| The country is in recession, inflation is at 20% and the lira has plunged by a third in value, causing bankruptcies. | The country is in recession, inflation is at 20% and the lira has plunged by a third in value, causing bankruptcies. |
| More than 57 million voters can elect mayors and councillors across Turkey. | More than 57 million voters can elect mayors and councillors across Turkey. |
| Mr Erdogan has said the poll is about the "survival" of the country and his AK Party (Justice and Development Party, AKP), which has dominated politics for 16 years. | |
| This will be the first municipal vote since Mr Erdogan assumed sweeping executive powers through last year's presidential election. | This will be the first municipal vote since Mr Erdogan assumed sweeping executive powers through last year's presidential election. |
| Two people were shot dead at a polling station in the eastern city of Malatya. Local reports say a fight broke out after a man refused to use a polling booth, preferring to vote in the open. | |
| How will people vote? | How will people vote? |
| President Erdogan has been Turkey's most popular and most divisive leader in modern history. | President Erdogan has been Turkey's most popular and most divisive leader in modern history. |
| However, with the state of the economy after a recent currency crisis and an increase in unemployment and inflation, some voters seem ready to punish Mr Erdogan and AKP in the polls. | However, with the state of the economy after a recent currency crisis and an increase in unemployment and inflation, some voters seem ready to punish Mr Erdogan and AKP in the polls. |
| "Citizens are suffering because of the economic problems," said one voter to news agency AFP at an opposition rally. "I'm a trader, I'm retired, but I've never seen a downturn like this." | "Citizens are suffering because of the economic problems," said one voter to news agency AFP at an opposition rally. "I'm a trader, I'm retired, but I've never seen a downturn like this." |
| The BBC's Mark Lowen says the AKP is in danger of losing key cities where opposition parties have come together in a rare act of unity in a polarised country. | The BBC's Mark Lowen says the AKP is in danger of losing key cities where opposition parties have come together in a rare act of unity in a polarised country. |
| Polls have shown a tight contest in Ankara between the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) mayoral candidate Mansur Yavas and AKP candidate Mehmet Ozhaseki. | Polls have shown a tight contest in Ankara between the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) mayoral candidate Mansur Yavas and AKP candidate Mehmet Ozhaseki. |
| "I was actually not going to vote today," a voter in the capital told Reuters, "but when I saw how much [AKP] are flailing, I thought this might be time to land them a blow." | "I was actually not going to vote today," a voter in the capital told Reuters, "but when I saw how much [AKP] are flailing, I thought this might be time to land them a blow." |
| The 47-year-old added, "Everyone is unhappy. Everyone is struggling." | The 47-year-old added, "Everyone is unhappy. Everyone is struggling." |
| How was the campaign? | How was the campaign? |
| The AKP have won every election since coming to power in 2002, but analysts say this is the first time the party is no longer confident of its success. | The AKP have won every election since coming to power in 2002, but analysts say this is the first time the party is no longer confident of its success. |
| With most media either pro-government or controlled by Mr Erdogan's supporters, critics believe opposition parties campaigned at a disadvantage. | With most media either pro-government or controlled by Mr Erdogan's supporters, critics believe opposition parties campaigned at a disadvantage. |
| The opposition pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) said the elections were unfair and refused to put forward candidates in several cities. | The opposition pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) said the elections were unfair and refused to put forward candidates in several cities. |
| Some of its leaders have been jailed on terror charges, accusations they reject. | Some of its leaders have been jailed on terror charges, accusations they reject. |
| Mr Erdogan's rallies have dominated TV coverage. At one on Saturday, the president sought to reassure voters and the party's usually conservative supporters that everything was under control. | Mr Erdogan's rallies have dominated TV coverage. At one on Saturday, the president sought to reassure voters and the party's usually conservative supporters that everything was under control. |
| "I am the boss of the economy right now as president of this country," he said, also blaming the West and particularly the US for its financial turbulence. | "I am the boss of the economy right now as president of this country," he said, also blaming the West and particularly the US for its financial turbulence. |
| The president was criticised for repeatedly showing footage from the recent terror attack in New Zealand, in which a self-declared white supremacist live-streamed himself killing 50 people at two Christchurch mosques. | The president was criticised for repeatedly showing footage from the recent terror attack in New Zealand, in which a self-declared white supremacist live-streamed himself killing 50 people at two Christchurch mosques. |
| He warned citizens of those coming to Turkey with anti-Muslim sentiments, sparking a diplomatic row after invoking memories of Turkey's dead in the battle of Gallipoli by Australian and New Zealand forces in 1915. | He warned citizens of those coming to Turkey with anti-Muslim sentiments, sparking a diplomatic row after invoking memories of Turkey's dead in the battle of Gallipoli by Australian and New Zealand forces in 1915. |