Erdogan battles key rival in Turkey's local elections

Turks began voting in municipal elections focused on President Tayyip Erdogan’s bid to reclaim control of Istanbul from rival Ekrem Imamoglu

Turks began voting on March 31 in municipal elections focused on President Tayyip Erdogan's bid to reclaim control of Istanbul from rival Ekrem Imamoglu, who aims to reassert the opposition as a political force after bitter election defeats last year.

Istanbul Mayor Imamoglu dealt Mr. Erdogan and his AK Party the biggest electoral blow of two decades in power with his win in the 2019 vote. The president struck back in 2023 by securing re-election and a parliament majority with his nationalist allies.

Sunday's results could now reinforce Mr. Erdogan's control of NATO-member Turkey, or signal change in the major emerging economy's divided political landscape. An Imamoglu win is seen fuelling expectations of him becoming a future national leader.

Polling stations opened at 7 a.m. (0400 GMT) in eastern Turkey and elsewhere at 8 a.m., with more than 61 million people registered to vote. Voting ends at 5 p.m. and initial results are expected by 10 p.m. (1900 GMT).

"The AK Party has completed very important projects for the development of this country," said 28-year-old Faruk Baran after voting in the southeastern city of Diyarbakir. "[It] needs to be strong at the local level in order to continue its services."

In Istanbul, a city of 16 million people 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 shaped in part by economic woes driven by rampant inflation near 70%, and by Kurdish and Islamist voters weighing up the government's performance and their hopes for political change.