Major election upset in Turkey

Local election results show President Erdogan’s ruling party has lost both Ankara and Istanbul to an opposition party.

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, walks to cast his ballot during the local elections, in Istanbul, Sunday, March 31, 2019. Source: Pool Presidential Press Service

The Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan apparently did not see this result coming.

Just days ago, he confidently promised, he will be the President of Turkey for at least the next five years.

And his AKP party was so certain they would win the Istanbul local elections, that there were even posters thanking voters pasted around the city.

Mr Erdogan appeared to be expecting the local elections would go favourably for his government.

But the results instead, indicate a major setback.

Mr Erdogan’s party says they will challenge the results, which show they lost not only the capital Ankara, but also the country’s economic hub, Istanbul.

The Supreme Election Board said the Republican People’s Party, or the CHP is leads by around 30,000 votes in Istanbul.

The AKP says they suspect many of the votes in Istanbul were invalid, and also allege that more than 12,000 polling stations in Ankara showed signs of irregularities and invalid votes. 

Jessica Washington for SBS News.

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