How did the local elections in Turkey find coverage in the British media? Here is the local election in the British press

In the March 31 local elections, the vote losses in cities governed by the AKP and the decline across the country received extensive coverage in the international press. The Financial Times newspaper described it as the biggest electoral defeat Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has faced in the twenty years since he came to power.

According to the Financial Times report, the victory of opposition mayors in Turkey's major cities was a major blow for Erdoğan. It was stated that the economic situation was among the factors that caused the AKP to suffer a heavy electoral defeat.

It was stated that the AKP suffered a major rout in the local elections and that Erdoğan faced his heaviest electoral defeat since coming to power twenty years ago. The strong performance of Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu stood out despite the intense campaign conducted for the AKP candidate supported by Erdoğan.

The report noted that voters, reacting to the long-standing effects of high inflation and price increases that eroded the savings of the Turkish people, caused the AKP to suffer losses in many of its strongholds in the heart of Turkey. It was emphasized that this situation paints a different picture from the presidential elections last year, where Erdoğan fought against a six-party opposition alliance.

It was stated that İmamoğlu has strengthened his position as the only politician since Atatürk who has been able to repeatedly challenge Erdoğan. In Ankara, it was stated that Mansur Yavaş won a victory by a large margin against AKP candidate Turgut Altınok.

It was reported that the AKP was facing the risk of losing provinces it had dominated for the last decade or longer, mostly located in western Turkey, while the CHP was preparing to take control of Adıyaman, which was affected by the 2023 earthquake, and the conservative province of Kilis on the Syrian border.

In the article, the local election was addressed as follows:

"As voters rebelled against years of high inflation that drove up the price of everything from groceries to cars and eroded the savings of Turks, the AKP was also preparing to suffer losses in many of its strongholds in the heart of Turkey. This loss marks a sharp turn from the presidential elections last May, when Erdoğan fought against a six-party opposition alliance trying to topple him."

"SINCE MUSTAFA KEMAL ATATÜRK..."

In the article, regarding İmamoğlu, it was stated that he has strengthened his position as the only politician since Mustafa Kemal Atatürk who has been able to repeatedly challenge Erdoğan.

THE ELECTION IN ANKARA

Incumbent Mansur Yavaş declared his victory by receiving 60 percent of the votes, far ahead of his AKP rival Turgut Altınok, who received 32 percent.

The article, which stated that "the AKP was facing the loss of provinces it had dominated for the last decade or longer, most of which are located in western Turkey," added that "the CHP was preparing to take control of Adıyaman in the south, one of the regions most affected by the 2023 earthquake, and Kilis, a conservative province on the Syrian border."

News Source: 12punto