Turkey’s opposition took an early lead in the vote count for control of the key cities of İstanbul and Ankara after local elections Sunday, Agence France-Presse reported, citing state media.
With 20 percent of the ballots counted, İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu of the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) was ahead with 49.6 percent of the vote compared to 41.6 percent for the candidate of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
In the capital Ankara, with 20 percent of the ballots counted, the current CHP mayor was leading with 57.3 percent, compared to 35 percent for the AKP.
“Based on the data we have obtained, I can say that our citizens’ faith in us has been rewarded,” İmamoğlu told reporters at the CHP’s İstanbul headquarters.
“The picture we see now pleases us greatly, but no election is fineal before it’s over,” he added.
“I would like to thank all of us, all our citizens, from the bottom of my heart for fulfilling this sacred duty,” said İmamoğlu, who first took İstanbul from the AKP in 2019.