Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has asked for a recount of all votes in the capital city of Ankara where the opposition candidate won Sunday’s mayoral election according to unofficial election results, the Diken news website reported on Friday.
AKP Ankara Provincial Branch Chairman Hakan Han Özcan said his party made an application at the Ankara provincial election board for a recount of all votes cast on Sunday.
Mansur Yavaş, the joint candidate of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) and İYİ (Good) Party, emerged as the winner of the election in Ankara against Mehmet Özhaseki, who was jointly fielded by the AKP and its election partner, the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), according to unofficial election results.
“There should be an explanation as to why the invalid votes were invalid,” Özcan said. The results of the local elections have not been conclusive in many provinces and districts including in İstanbul and Ankara due to objections from the losing parties and candidates.