Türkiye, Erdogan defeated in local elections. The opposition is stronger for the first time

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The major opposition party in Türkiye at the national level, the Chpachieved the highest number of votes in the local elections yesterday 31 March, with 37.7%, beating President Recep Tayyip’s team for the first time Erdoganthe AKP, which obtained 35.4%, marking one of the lowest results in its political history.

This is according to the data published by the state TV TRT, with over 99% of the ballots counted, while the results will be officially confirmed in the next few days by the Supreme Electoral Council of Turkey (YSK). CHP mayors won in the country’s five largest cities, including Istanbul and the capital Ankara.

Erdogan’s party still proved to be strong in part of central Anatolia, despite losing several provinces in the region, historically its stronghold, both to the CHP but also due to the victories of the Islamist Yeniden Refah Partisi and the extreme party right-wing nationalist MHP, groups that supported Erdogan in last year’s presidential elections.

The pro-Kurdish and left-wing party Dem achieved an excellent result in the south-east, on the border with Syria and Turkey, increasing the number of its votes and the provinces it conquered compared to five years ago. According to what was stated by the Turkish Electoral Council, the turnout was 78.7%, down compared to the local elections of 5 years ago, in which 84.6% of those entitled to vote had voted, and also compared to last year’s presidential elections year, when participation had approached 90%.

Erdogan has admitted the historic victory of the opposition in the Turkish municipal elections. “We didn’t get what we wanted,” commented the president. The Social Democrats of the CHP also conquered Istanbul and Ankara, according to preliminary data. The announcement of the final results is expected today. Opposition leader Ozel speaks of a “historic” event. One dead and 12 injured in accidents that broke out near the predominantly Kurdish city of Diyarbakir, in the south-east of the country.