The outcome of the local elections in Turkey was a setback for the Justice and Development Party (AKP) and personally for Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Whichever way one reads the election results, the answer is that it is a heavy defeat.
The Republican People’s Party (CHP) achieved sweeping victories in the country’s largest cities, most notably with Ekrem İmamoğlu’s triumph in Istanbul, while on a national level, it was declared the leading force.
What does this defeat signify?
For now, nothing will change except for the dent in the allure of the Turkish president.
After all, these were local elections and not national ones.
His term ends in 2028, and until then, he will continue to govern in the same authoritarian manner as now.
In domestic politics, there may be some changes, mainly in the economic sector, but in foreign policy, the situation will remain the same.
However, despite the defeat, there remains a significant possibility for Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to pursue constitutional reform, allowing him to run for presidency again in 2028, something he currently cannot do.
If this doesn’t happen, then the likely scenario is that he will ensure his succession by placing someone loyal to his line in his position.
In the long run, the groundwork has been laid for significant developments.
Ekrem İmamoğlu has proven himself to be the man who can challenge Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and has all the makings to unite the fragmented opposition.
He has now emerged as a capable opponent, who with his victory in Istanbul, gains a passport for the next presidential race.
All signs point to this happening. Istanbul is the ideal launchpad for the presidency, as Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, starting as the mayor of the city in the 1990s, began his journey that made him a “sultan”.
Ekrem İmamoğlu himself, although maintaining a low profile, is methodically building a leadership profile that shows ambitions beyond the mayoral office.
He resonates well and also has the ability to unite broader segments, making him a formidable opponent for the Turkish leader.
The local elections in Turkey have concluded.
Now, it seems, a prolonged pre-election period begins, the terms of which will become clearer as it progresses.
However, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan now clearly has an opponent, and that is Ekrem İmamoğlu.
