Polls close in Türkiye's local elections, vote counting begins

The counting of votes is now underway as citizens await the results that will determine their local representatives for the next five years.

Much attention, both domestically and internationally, has been centered on Istanbul, Türkiye's largest city, which witnessed a historic upset in the previous election. Opposition candidate Ekrem Imamoglu of the CHP won against the governing AK Parti candidate, former Prime Minister Binali Yildirim.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has emphasized the significance of Istanbul's political landscape, once stating that "whoever wins Istanbul wins Turkey." He has campaigned vigorously to secure victory for his party's candidate, former Environment Minister Murat Kurum, expressing hopes for a new era following the election.

Imamoglu faces stiff competition this time, with opposition unity from the previous election now fragmented. Twenty-two parties, including the Kurdish left-wing Dem Party and Meral Aksener’s Iyi Party, have fielded candidates for the mayoralty.

Outside of Istanbul, Erdogan's AK Parti is eyeing victories in the capital Ankara and Izmir. However, incumbent CHP mayor Mansur Yavas is expected to retain his position in Ankara, while AK Parti faces a significant challenge in Izmir.

Reports of violence have marred the election process in some areas, with several fatalities reported in shootings related to mukhtar elections. (ILKHA)