Turkey’s Opposition dealt President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan a symbolic blow by gaining ground in key cities in the country’s local elections. Erdogan is facing a major political setback after his party lost control of the capital, Ankara, in a keenly fought local elections battle. Preliminary results also showed the opposition narrowly ahead of the President's Justice and Development Party (AKP) in Istanbul, the country's largest city.
The results of the municipal balloting from around the country was a telling barometer of Erdogan’s weakened standing with voters, as Turkey’s economy has fallen into a recession and he has assumed sweeping new executive powers.
