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Turkish PM's party leads in poll Turkish PM's party slips in polls
(about 1 hour 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. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's party has won local elections by a wide majority - but nevertheless suffered a significant fall in support.
Mr Erdogan's Justice and Development Party (AKP) got less support than when it won a landslide victory in polls two years ago. The Justice and Development Party (AKP) won about 39% of the vote, according to unconfirmed results - down from the 47% general election landslide of 2007.
At least six people were reportedly killed in mainly Kurdish eastern areas. "This is a message from the people and we will take the necessary lessons," said a sombre Mr Erdogan.
The deaths came as supporters of rival candidates for the non-party position of village chief fought armed battles. At least five people were reportedly killed in election-related violence.
Last year, the AKP survived a trial aimed at closing it down as a threat to secularism. The deaths came in the predominantly Kurdish east of the country, as supporters of rival candidates for a non-party position of village chief fought armed battles.
Reshuffle Lost ground
"This is a message from the people and we will take the necessary lessons," said a sombre Mr Erdogan, as the results became apparent. In Sunday's elections, the governing AKP lost ground to both secularist and Kurdish rivals, who had focused on growing economic difficulties and corruption allegations.
"A cabinet reshuffle is possible, though not necessarily related to the election results," he added. The AKP has consolidated its position at the centre of politics and shown once again that it is a party that embraces all sections of society Recep Tayyip ErdoganTurkish Prime Minister
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. Secularist parties made inroads into AKP support in both Istanbul, Turkey's largest city, and the capital, Ankara.
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. Meanwhile, the AKP was well beaten in Diyarbakir, the largest city in the country's Kurdish-dominated south-east, by the pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party, and in Izmir by the Republican People's Party (CHP).
The AKP also lost in Izmir, and faced an extremely close race in Ankara and Istanbul. Across the country, the CHP took 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. While this was a local election it felt like a national one, says the BBC's Sarah Rainsford in Istanbul, and almost every street was festooned with party flags and posters.
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
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.
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. Warning to Erdogan
The prime minister had boasted that his party would surpass the 47% share of the vote it gained in 2007, but instead suffered its first fall in support since sweeping to power in 2002, our correspondent says.
Afterwards, Mr Erdogan insisted that the AKP had "consolidated its position at the centre of politics and shown once again that it is a party that embraces all sections of society".
But the result will be widely seen as a warning to the prime minister over what has been perceived as his increasingly autocratic style, our correspondent adds.
The government had hoped that a strong result would allow it to re-focus attention on democratic reforms.
It is also expected to conclude talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a multi-billion dollar loan to help Turkey weather the economic crisis.