Editor's Note: This report has been updated to correct erroneous information.
What Happened: Ekrem Imamoglu, the Republican People's Party's (CHP) candidate for the Istanbul mayoral race, has received the official certificate of election from local election authorities, officially making him the mayor of the city, the Anadolu Agency reported April 17.
Why It Matters: The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) or its predecessors have held Istanbul's mayorship for the past 25 years, which makes today's development a notable warning sign for the party's ability to maintain power on a local level.
Background: The Istanbul mayoral race has been close as Imamoglu gained just 13,000 more votes than his opponent out of a total of 8 million ballots, although the AKP continues to challenge the election's results via Turkey's Supreme Board of Elections.
Read More:
- Turkey's Opposition Takes the Shine off Erdogan's Victory (April 1, 2019)
- Turkey's Economic Woes Dog the Government Ahead of Polls (Feb. 18, 2019)
- Counting the Cost of Potential U.S. Action Against Turkey (Feb. 4, 2019)
