Ekrem Imamoglu, the Republican People's Party (CHP) candidate for mayor of Istanbul, won a narrow victory during the first March 31 election, defeating the candidate from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). But Turkey’s election body annulled the result after claims of "irregularities." A revote has since been scheduled for June 23.
Editor's Note: This assessment is part of a series of analyses supporting Stratfor's upcoming 2019 Third-Quarter Forecast. These assessments are designed to provide more context and in-depth analysis on key developments over the next quarter. On March 31, it looked as if the Republican People's Party (CHP) had successfully wrenched Istanbul's mayorship from Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) party, which has held the economically and politically powerful position for nearly two decades. But despite securing nearly 14,000 more votes than its rival, the CHP's victory was short-lived. After the results were announced, the AKP was quick to allege election fraud, resulting in the decision to rerun the election. Should it face another loss in the June 23 revote , the party is likely to repeat the tactic — laying bare just how far the AKP will go to secure control over the city.
