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Turkey local elections: Setback for Erdogan as his party loses capital | Turkey local elections: Setback for Erdogan as his party loses capital |
(about 2 hours later) | |
The party of Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has lost control of the capital, Ankara, in local elections in what is being seen as a setback to his 16 years in power. | |
But both his AKP and the opposition claimed to have won the mayoralty of the largest city, Istanbul. | |
Nationally, the president's AKP-led alliance has won more than 51% of the vote in the municipal elections. | |
"If there are any shortcomings, it is our duty to correct them," he said. | "If there are any shortcomings, it is our duty to correct them," he said. |
Mr Erdogan had previously said the poll was about the "survival" of the country and his party, | |
The election came amid an economic downturn and was widely seen as a referendum on his leadership. | The election came amid an economic downturn and was widely seen as a referendum on his leadership. |
More than 57 million people in the country were registered to vote for mayors and councillors. | More than 57 million people in the country were registered to vote for mayors and councillors. |
What are the results? | What are the results? |
Turkish media said the secularist Republican People's Party (CHP) candidate Mansur Yavas had won a clear victory in Ankara. | Turkish media said the secularist Republican People's Party (CHP) candidate Mansur Yavas had won a clear victory in Ankara. |
However, both the CHP and Mr Erdogan's AKP - or Justice and Development Party - claimed victory by a slender margin in the contest for mayor of Istanbul, which has been governed by AKP. | |
CHP candidate Ekrem Imamoglu said he had won by nearly 28,000 votes while the AKP said its candidate, former Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, was ahead by 4,000 votes. | CHP candidate Ekrem Imamoglu said he had won by nearly 28,000 votes while the AKP said its candidate, former Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, was ahead by 4,000 votes. |
Both candidates reportedly received more than four million votes each. | |
The CHP also said it had held Izmir, Turkey's third largest city. | The CHP also said it had held Izmir, Turkey's third largest city. |
What has the reaction been? | What has the reaction been? |
"The people have voted in favour of democracy, they have chosen democracy," CHP leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu said. | "The people have voted in favour of democracy, they have chosen democracy," CHP leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu said. |
Meanwhile Mr Erdogan, speaking to supporters in Ankara, hinted that the AKP may have lost control of Istanbul. | Meanwhile Mr Erdogan, speaking to supporters in Ankara, hinted that the AKP may have lost control of Istanbul. |
"Even if our people gave away the mayorship, they gave the districts to the AK Party," he said. | "Even if our people gave away the mayorship, they gave the districts to the AK Party," he said. |
He vowed to focus his leadership on the Turkish economy ahead of national elections scheduled to take place in 2023. | He vowed to focus his leadership on the Turkish economy ahead of national elections scheduled to take place in 2023. |
Prominent journalist Rusen Cakir said the vote was "as historic as that of 1994", referring to the year Mr Erdogan was elected mayor of Istanbul. | Prominent journalist Rusen Cakir said the vote was "as historic as that of 1994", referring to the year Mr Erdogan was elected mayor of Istanbul. |
"It is a declaration that a page that was opened 25 years ago is being turned," he said, according to Reuters. | "It is a declaration that a page that was opened 25 years ago is being turned," he said, according to Reuters. |
'Agonising blow' | |
Analysis by Mark Lowen, BBC Turkey Correspondent | Analysis by Mark Lowen, BBC Turkey Correspondent |
President Erdogan had painted this election as a matter of survival. He's now been dealt an agonising blow. | |
For the first time in a quarter of a century, his party has lost Turkey's capital Ankara. | |
And in the economic powerhouse of Istanbul, there's a hair's breadth between the governing AK Party and the opposition. | |
As the official tally showed fewer than 3,000 votes between them in this city of 18 million, both said they'd won. | |
But then the count stopped, with more than 1% of ballot boxes still unopened: a tactic, says the opposition, to steal victory. | |
This could be a watershed moment for Turkey's powerful, polarising President: when an opposition long seen as moribund finally feels he's beatable. | |
How was the campaign? | How was the campaign? |
This was the first municipal vote since Mr Erdogan assumed sweeping executive powers through last year's presidential election. | This was the first municipal vote since Mr Erdogan assumed sweeping executive powers through last year's presidential election. |
The AKP have won every election since coming to power in 2002. | The AKP have won every election since coming to power in 2002. |
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. |