The opposition in Turkey declares victory in Ankara and Istanbul, dealing a blow to Erdogan.
In the largest setback to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Justice and Development Party (AK Party) in more than 20 years, Turkey's main opposition party has declared victory in local elections held in Istanbul and Ankara. Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu of the Republican People's Party (CHP) declared victory over Erdogan's running AK Party candidate by more than a million votes on Sunday, when more than 95% of Istanbul's voting booths had opened. Mansur Yavas of the CHP defeated his opponent in the capital city of Ankara, praising the outcome as a "clear message to those who rule this country." The CHP was also ahead in Izmir, Turkey’s third city. Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu is being tipped as a potential candidate in the 2028 Presidential vote in Istanbul. In total, CHP prevailed in 36 of Turkey’s 81 provinces, state-run Anadolu reported, making inroads into many AK Party strongholds. Opposition supporters gathered in Istanbul to celebrate the results, with tens of thousands of people lighting torches and waving Turkish flags.
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