The nationwide election is also seen as a test of sentiment for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who was re-elected last year following 20 years in power. The focus is on the metropolis of Istanbul and the capital Ankara, which Erdogan’s Islamic-conservative AKP lost to the opposition five years ago.
The polling stations opened on Sunday morning and were scheduled to close in the early evening (local time). The first official results are expected later on Sunday evening.
With around 16 million inhabitants, Istanbul is the country’s most populous city and around a third of Turkey’s economic output is generated there. Polls suggest a tight race between AKP candidate Murat Kurum (47) and Ekrem Imamoglu (53) from the main opposition CHP.
Should Imamoglu win once more, his position as a possible challenger to Erdogan in a future presidential election will be strengthened. If the AKP wins back Istanbul, Erdogan, whose political rise began as mayor of Istanbul, will further consolidate his power. Key topics in the election campaign included massive inflation of around 67 percent and infrastructure projects.
The election campaign was considered unfair. Much of the media in Turkey is under direct or indirect government control.
