Erdogan’s Local Election Loss Dents Image of Invincible Leader
Supporters of Justice and Development (AK) Party at the AK Party Headquarters in Ankara, on April 1.
Photographer: Adem Altan/AFP/Getty ImagesTurkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan suffered an unprecedented defeat in municipal elections with the main opposition group making more inroads than ever in areas once dominated by the governing AK Party.
The setback dents Erdogan’s image of invincibility just 10 months after his reelection and paves the way for his rivals, led by Istanbul’s opposition Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu to take on the president or his successors in elections scheduled for 2028.