In a surprising turn of events, Turkey’s President Erdogan and his AKP party suffered a significant defeat in the recent local elections, failing to win back the majority in major cities and losing support in smaller provincial capitals. The main opposition party, the CHP, emerged victorious with 37.76% of the vote nationwide.
One of the major factors contributing to the AKP’s poor performance was Erdogan’s economic policies, particularly his stance on low interest rates. Istanbul, in particular, was a key battleground, with the CHP securing a large lead in the city. The popular mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem Imamoglu, retained his seat, potentially setting the stage for him to challenge Erdogan in the next presidential elections.
In addition to the CHP’s success, the New Welfare Party, led by Fatih Erbakan, also won mayoral seats in two cities, possibly taking votes away from the AKP. Analysts believe that Erdogan will need to make significant concessions in order to prevent the rise of alternative conservative-nationalist parties in the future.
Despite this defeat, analysts do not believe it marks the end for the AKP. Erdogan still has until 2028 to consolidate his base and regain support. However, the recent local elections have clearly shown that challenges lie ahead for Erdogan and his party as they navigate the changing political landscape in Turkey. Stay tuned to KP INSIDER for more updates on this developing story.