Erdogan set back in key regional elections

Ozan Guzelce / dia images via Getty Images

This is a blow for Erdogan, who won reelection in 2023

(Image credit: Getty Images)

published 1 April 2024

What happened

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan suffered a political setback Sunday after the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) flipped or held Turkey's five biggest cities, including Istanbul, and took the largest share of votes nationwide for the first time since the 1970s. Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu beat the candidate of Erdogan's Justice and Development party (AKP) 51% to 40% despite a push by Erdogan to win back control of Turkey's most important city.

This was "the most decisive opposition victory of the last quarter century," Selim Sazak of Ankara's Sanda Global consultancy told The Wall Street Journal. The unexpectedly large win will "inject new life into the CHP" and cement Imamoglu as opposition star, Selin Nasi, a visiting fellow at the London School of Economics, told Politico. "He is the only politician who succeeded in beating Erdogan three times."

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Explore More

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.