Istanbul elections: A stab to Erdogan party and awakening of opposition

Shaima Hafezy

The reactions are still taking place to the results of the run-off in local elections in the Turkish municipality of Istanbul, in which the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has been severely defeated.

In his first comment on the results of the Istanbul election, Turkish President and Justice and Development leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan said at a meeting of party members to study the election results that his party had received a “stab from the back.”

Erdogan’s comments were indicative of the efforts of former Turkish President Abdullah Gul and former Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, who are attending a new party.

“Istanbul is an important city,” Erdogan said. “But Turkey is not limited to Istanbul alone. The party is located all over the country and will continue to work, in an effort to ease the loss of the city to its followers.

Erdogan seems to have begun to understand the schisms that have gripped the party’s horizon, especially after news of 80 members joining the two new parties emerged.

The news was a shock to Erdoğan’s party, which suffered its biggest defeat since the party was founded in 2001. He was elected prime minister between 2003 and 2014, before becoming president.

In the run-off to the elections in Istanbul which were based on demands from the Justice and Development Party, Akram Emamoglu, the mayor of Istanbul, won a record lead over his rival Ben Ali Yildirm, the ruling party’s candidate.

Istanbul’s imam oglu won a candidate for the opposition Republican People’s Party in the March 31 municipal elections at the expense of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) candidate and former Prime Minister Ben Ali Yildirim. But the SCER decided to re-vote in Istanbul on June 23, after appeals filed by the Justice and Development Party under the pretext of large voting irregularities.

On the other hand, the former prime minister and former ruling party leader Ahmet Davutoglu said the people of Istanbul had made their final decision in the Istanbul municipal election.

Daudoglu criticized the performance of the AK Party because of the decision to re-run the elections and sent an open letter to the Turkish people ahead of the elections.

“The March elections showed important results, which we need to study wisely and rationally, and have sent important messages for the future of our party and our country to consider them. It is important to understand these messages and make them a priority. If important messages are not drawn from the changes that have emerged in the trends of our people and serious steps have been taken firmly, the difficult stage awaits us as the Justice and Development Party, and our country too.”

“We have to face the reality of the decline in the popular support of our party and evaluate it in a wise manner, especially with regard to the results of the presidential elections of Ankara and Istanbul, which are important symbols of our movement in the bloc and to power,” said Ahmed Daoudoglu.