Local government elections are held in Turkey on March 31. The focus is on the country’s largest city, Istanbul, and the Turkish capital, Ankara, both of which are under opposition control.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is benefiting from the disunity of his political opponents, who, despite joining forces, failed to remove him from power in the 2023 general elections.
For Erdogan, elections are of fundamental importance. In early March, the 70-year-old president said that they would be the last in his political career. However, the success of the candidates he supports could lead to amendments to the constitution and “nullification” of his presidential term.
Istanbul, with a population of 16 million, has special significance for Erdogan. This is not only the largest city in Europe, which has become a place of struggle between Western and Islamic values. His election as mayor of this city in March 1994 launched the current president’s national political career.