Erdogan Eyes Turkey’s ‘Turning Point’ After Election Setback

Monday marked a pivotal moment for Turkey, according to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, as the opposition, challenging his 20 years of leadership, made significant gains in municipal elections across Istanbul and other key cities.

Preliminary results indicate that the Republican People’s Party (CHP) managed to secure victories in major cities and Anatolian provinces, areas previously dominated by Erdogan’s AKP party. Notably, the CHP mayors were elected in Istanbul, Ankara, Adana, Bursa, and Antalya, signaling a major shift less than a year after Erdogan faced a failed presidential challenge.

This election is being seen as Erdogan’s most substantial electoral setback since his party ascended to power in 2002, with economic factors such as 67% inflation and the lira’s significant depreciation over the past year being major contributing factors.

Pro-government publications Hurriyet and Yeni Safah on Monday underscored the electorate’s “message” to the ruling party, with Hurriyet’s commentator, Abdulkadir Selvi, attributing the results to the country’s economic state and suggesting that the election has introduced a “new political equation” in Turkey.

Erdogan acknowledged this “turning point” and expressed his respect for the nation’s decision.

Opposition and secular media outlets heralded the election results as a “revolution at the ballot box” and a “historic victory,” with the outcome in Istanbul and Ankara reinforcing the CHP’s hold, an anticipation dating back to their 2019 victories. The widespread shift away from Erdogan’s party is viewed as the most significant political change in nearly half a century, potentially setting the stage for Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu’s presidential candidacy in 2028.

Imamoglu, having secured the Istanbul mayorship in a fiercely contested race five years ago, is now seen as a leading figure in opposition politics, with his recent victory heralded as a crucial moment for Turkish democracy.

In Ankara, CHP Mayor Mansur Yavas also solidified his position, indicating an upcoming contest between him and Imamoglu for national leadership, according to Hurriyet’s Selvi.

Soner Cagaptay from the Washington Institute speculated on the future political landscape, identifying Imamoglu as a formidable contender against Erdogan in the upcoming national elections, suggesting Imamoglu’s potential rise to the presidency.

Erdogan, who transitioned from prime minister to president in 2014, announced earlier that these municipal elections would be his last, urging his supporters to prepare diligently for the next presidential election in four years.