Erdogan Seeks to Regain Istanbul and Vanquish His Nemesis
A municipal election this weekend is a tight race between the Turkish president’s handpicked candidate and the opposition mayor.
Municipal election banners in Istanbul on March 24.
Photographer: Francisco Seco/AP PhotoWhen Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s party lost power in Istanbul, it was a landmark victory for an opposition whose ultimate goal was to oust the Turkish president. Five years later, an emboldened Erdogan is seeking to avenge that defeat and regain control of the country’s economic dynamo.
Municipal voting across the country on Sunday comes after Erdogan extended his 20-year rule in a presidential election last May. In a tight race in Turkey’s biggest city, incumbent Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, 53, from the Republican People’s Party is aiming to hold off a challenge from Erdogan’s handpicked candidate and former environment minister, Murat Kurum, 47.