By Daren Butler
ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Turks began voting on Sunday in municipal elections centered on President Tayyip Erdogan’s bid to regain control of Istanbul from rival Ekrem Imamoglu, who aims to reassert the opposition as a political force after bitter election defeats in last year.
Istanbul Mayor Imamoglu dealt Erdogan and his AK Party the biggest electoral blow in their two decades in power with his victory in the 2019 vote. The president responded in 2023 by securing re-election and a parliamentary majority with his nationalist allies.
Sunday’s results could now strengthen Erdogan’s grip on NATO member Turkey or signal a shift in the divided political landscape of the major emerging economy. A victory for Imamoglu raises expectations that he will become a future national leader.
Polling stations opened at 7am (0400 GMT) in eastern Turkey and elsewhere at 8am, with more than 61 million people registered to vote. Voting ends at 5pm and first results are expected by 10pm (7pm GMT).
“The AK Party has completed very important projects for the development of this country,” Faruk Baran, 28, said after voting in the southeastern city of Diyarbakir. “(It) needs to be strong locally to continue its services.”
In Istanbul, a city of 16 million that drives Turkey’s economy, polls suggest a tight race as Imamoglu faces a challenge from AKP candidate Murat Kurum, a former minister.
The results are likely to be influenced in part by economic hardship caused by rampant inflation nearing 70%, and by Kurdish and Islamic voters assessing the government’s performance and their hopes for political change.
Although Erdogan’s main prey is Istanbul, he also seeks to reconquer the capital Ankara. Both cities were won by the opposition in 2019, after being under the rule of the AKP and Islamist predecessors for the previous 25 years.
Erdogan’s prospects have been helped by the collapse of the opposition alliance he defeated last year, although Imamoglu continues to attract voters beyond the Republican People’s Party, his main opposition party.
Voters of the main pro-Kurdish party were crucial to Imamoglu’s success in 2019. Their DEM party will present its own candidate in Istanbul this time, but many Kurds are expected to put aside party loyalty and vote for him again .
In the predominantly Kurdish south-east, the DEM is trying to reassert its strength after the state replaced the mayors of the pro-Kurdish party with “administrators” appointed by the state following previous elections for alleged links to the militants.
“I want an end to the trustee system. These elections are important for Turkey’s future and for listening to us: the Kurds are always decisive,” said civil servant Elif Durgun, 32.
One factor working against Erdogan is the increase in support for the Islamic New Welfare Party, due to its uncompromising stance against Israel regarding the Gaza conflict and dissatisfaction with the AKP-led management of the economy. Islamic.