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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Turkish PM's party leads in poll | Turkish PM's party leads in poll |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan's party is leading in local elections, but has lost several key towns, after six people died in regional violence. | |
| Mr Erdogan's Justice and Development Party (AKP) is facing a slimmer majority than when it won a landslide victory in polls two years ago. | |
| At least six people were reportedly killed in mainly Kurdish eastern areas. | At least six people were reportedly killed in mainly Kurdish eastern areas. |
| The deaths came as supporters of rival candidates for the non-party position of village chief fought armed battles. | The deaths came as supporters of rival candidates for the non-party position of village chief fought armed battles. |
| Last year, the AKP survived a trial aimed at closing it down as a threat to secularism. | Last year, the AKP survived a trial aimed at closing it down as a threat to secularism. |
| Reshuffle | |
| "This is a message from the people and we will take the necessary lessons," said a sombre Mr Erdogan, as the results became apparent. | |
| "A cabinet reshuffle is possible, though not necessarily related to the election results," he added. | |
| Partial results suggest the AKP has only garnered 39% of the vote, down from 47% in national elections in 2007, although it did appear to have won most of the mayoral and district administrator posts available, AP news agency reported. | |
| However, the AKP failed to win in Diyarbakir, the largest city in the country's Kurdish-dominated south-east, where the pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party had a strong lead. | |
| The AKP also lost in Izmir, and faced an extremely close race in Ankara and Istanbul. | |
| The secular Republican People's Party trailed with 20% of the vote, while the Nationalist Action Party was in third place with 17%, state television reported. | The secular Republican People's Party trailed with 20% of the vote, while the Nationalist Action Party was in third place with 17%, state television reported. |
| IMF talks | IMF talks |
| The government hoped for success to allow it to re-focus attention on democratic reforms, says the BBC's Sarah Rainsford in Istanbul. | |
| The AKP wants to prove it is at least as popular now as in the national election in 2007 | The AKP wants to prove it is at least as popular now as in the national election in 2007 |
| It is also expected to conclude talks with the International Monetary Fund for a multi-billion dollar loan to help Turkey weather the economic crisis. | It is also expected to conclude talks with the International Monetary Fund for a multi-billion dollar loan to help Turkey weather the economic crisis. |
| While this was a local election it felt like a national one, our correspondent says, and almost every street was festooned with party flags and posters. | While this was a local election it felt like a national one, our correspondent says, and almost every street was festooned with party flags and posters. |
| Party leaders - especially Mr Erdogan - had been touring the country for several weeks, staging mass political rallies. | Party leaders - especially Mr Erdogan - had been touring the country for several weeks, staging mass political rallies. |
| The shrinking economy and rising unemployment likely influenced some voters, our correspondent adds, but Mr Erdogan is still the most popular Turkish politician by far. | The shrinking economy and rising unemployment likely influenced some voters, our correspondent adds, but Mr Erdogan is still the most popular Turkish politician by far. |