The Turkish opposition claims a "historic" victory in the municipal elections

He will govern Istanbul, Ankara or Izmir after defeating the candidates of Erdogan's party

MADRID, 31 Mar. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The main Turkish opposition party, the Republican People's Party (CHP), has claimed a "historic" victory after beating Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's Justice and Development Party (AKP) in the country's main cities, according to the still partial official results of the local elections held this Sunday.

With 81.91 percent of the ballot boxes already processed, the CHP would have achieved 37.13 percent support in the overall results of the elections, compared to 36.02 percent for the AKP, and would clearly prevail in the main cities of the country such as Istanbul, Ankara or Izmir.

The leader of the CHP, Ozgur Ozel, has called for political change in Turkey. "The results of today's elections show that voters have decided to install a new policy in Turkey. Today voters have decided to change the image of Turkey for the last 22 years and open the door to a new political climate," he highlighted.

Ozel has proclaimed the victory of his formation in Adana, Ankara, Antalya, Aydin, Eskisehir, Mersin, Mugla, Tekirdag, Izmir and Istanbul. "We have also won in Balikesir, Bursa, Manisa and Denizli," he stressed.

In Istanbul, with 77.44 percent of the ballot boxes already processed, the CHP candidate, Ekrem Imamoglu, would revalidate the position of mayor with 50.48 percent support compared to the 40.79 percent achieved by the candidate of the AKP, Murat Kurum.

In Ankara, the capital, Mansur Yavas (CHP) obtains 59 percent of the vote, clearly ahead of Turgut Altinok (AKP, 33.08 percent) once 54.83 percent of the ballot boxes have been counted.

And in Izmir, the third city in the country, it is Cemil Tugay (CHP) who obtains the most votes, 48.32 percent, well ahead of Hamza Dag, of the AKP, who remains at 37.02 percent support, according to 73.13 percent of the scrutiny.

DEM DOMINANCE IN THE KURDISH REGIONS

In Diyarbakir, the historic capital of Turkish Kurdistan, the candidate of the Party for Equality and People's Democracy (DEM), Ayse Serra Bucak Küçük, was the candidate with the most votes with 64.47 percent. The second option was Mehmet Halis (AKP, 16.73 percent), according to 75 percent of the vote.

The DEM would also be the party with the most votes in at least ten Kurdish provinces in southeastern Turkey such as Mardin, Batman, Siirt, Hakkari, Van and Igdir. The party would also govern in municipalities such as Tunceli, until now controlled by the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP), Agri or Mus, both until now governed by the AKP. Instead, Kars loses, where the far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) will govern.

The DEM consolidates itself as heir to the People's Democratic Party (HDP), whose city councils were intervened due to the formation's alleged support for the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) guerrilla.

"We are not only going to recover what the interveners took from us, but also what they took from us through deception," said DEM spokesman Said Aysegul Dogan, quoted by Rudaw television.

The pro-Kurdish party has denounced that more than 46,000 voters have been transferred from other provinces to try to influence the outcome of the elections in Kurdish cities, many of them police and military personnel. They cite in particular the example of Sirnak, where there are 6,000 soldiers.