Erdogan declares victory in municipal elections

World Monday 01/April/2019 17:14 PM
By: Times News Service
Erdogan declares victory in municipal elections

Muscat: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared victory for his political party in Sunday's municipal elections, thanking voters for favouring his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) in 5 consecutive elections since 2002.

"I would like to thank all my citizens, especially our Kurdish brothers, for showing sensitivity toward the issue of survival," he said in an address from his party headquarters in the capital city Ankara.

He impressed upon people that 56 per cent of Turkey’s municipalities will now be run by the AKP. But all was not rosy for the AKP, with the opposition Republican People’s Party's (CHP) candidate Mansur Yavas claiming victory in Turkey’s capital Ankara.

Results in Istanbul were too close to call as of Monday afternoon as votes are still being counted.

Opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu of the CHP said, "We have experienced every kind of injustice, but people sided with democracy. This is very important for us.

"This is an election done democratically and humanely and success gained by this election will be welcomed not only by us but all over the world as democracy is improving in Turkey."

"We say: 'Turkey won'. After this election, everybody won," Kilicdaroglu declared.