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| Istanbul mayoral re-run: Erdogan's ruling AKP set to lose | Istanbul mayoral re-run: Erdogan's ruling AKP set to lose |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Turkey's ruling party is set to lose control of Istanbul after a re-run of the city's mayoral election, latest results show. | Turkey's ruling party is set to lose control of Istanbul after a re-run of the city's mayoral election, latest results show. |
| The candidate for the main opposition party, Ekrem Imamoglu, won 54% of the vote with nearly all ballots counted. | |
| He won a surprise victory in March which was annulled after the ruling AK party complained of irregularities. | He won a surprise victory in March which was annulled after the ruling AK party complained of irregularities. |
| His opponent, ex-PM Binali Yildirim, has conceded. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan congratulated the winner. | |
| "I congratulate Ekrem Imamoglu who has won the election based on preliminary results," he tweeted. | |
| However, the result is being seen as a major setback for Mr Erdogan, who has previously said that "whoever wins Istanbul, wins Turkey". | |
| In his victory speech, Mr Imamoglu said the result marked a "new beginning" for both the city and the country. | In his victory speech, Mr Imamoglu said the result marked a "new beginning" for both the city and the country. |
| "We are opening up a new page in Istanbul," he said. "On this new page, there will be justice, equality, love." | "We are opening up a new page in Istanbul," he said. "On this new page, there will be justice, equality, love." |
| He added that he was willing to work with Mr Erdogan, saying: "Mr President, I am ready to work in harmony with you." | He added that he was willing to work with Mr Erdogan, saying: "Mr President, I am ready to work in harmony with you." |
| Mr Imamoglu's lead of more than 775,000 votes marks a huge increase on his victory in March, when he won by just 13,000. | Mr Imamoglu's lead of more than 775,000 votes marks a huge increase on his victory in March, when he won by just 13,000. |
| Who were the candidates? | Who were the candidates? |
| Mr Imamoglu, 49, is from the secular Republican People's Party and is mayor of Istanbul's Beylikduzu district. | Mr Imamoglu, 49, is from the secular Republican People's Party and is mayor of Istanbul's Beylikduzu district. |
| But his name was barely known before he ran for mayor in the March election. | But his name was barely known before he ran for mayor in the March election. |
| Mr Yildirim was a founding member of Mr Erdogan's AKP and was prime minister from 2016 until 2018, when Turkey became a presidential democracy and the role ceased to exist. | Mr Yildirim was a founding member of Mr Erdogan's AKP and was prime minister from 2016 until 2018, when Turkey became a presidential democracy and the role ceased to exist. |
| He was elected Speaker of the new parliament in February and before that served as minister of transportation and communication. | He was elected Speaker of the new parliament in February and before that served as minister of transportation and communication. |
| Why was the previous result annulled? | Why was the previous result annulled? |
| Mr Imamoglu's narrow victory of 13,000 votes in March was not enough for Mr Yildirim to accept defeat. | Mr Imamoglu's narrow victory of 13,000 votes in March was not enough for Mr Yildirim to accept defeat. |
| The ruling party alleged that votes were stolen and many ballot box observers did not have official approval, leading the election board to demand a re-run of he vote. | The ruling party alleged that votes were stolen and many ballot box observers did not have official approval, leading the election board to demand a re-run of he vote. |
| Critics argue that pressure from President Erdogan was behind the decision. | Critics argue that pressure from President Erdogan was behind the decision. |
| Why is this election so important? | Why is this election so important? |
| Mr Erdogan, who is from Istanbul, was elected mayor in 1994. | Mr Erdogan, who is from Istanbul, was elected mayor in 1994. |
| He founded the AKP in 2001 and served as prime minister between 2003 and 2014, before becoming president. | He founded the AKP in 2001 and served as prime minister between 2003 and 2014, before becoming president. |
| But cracks in the party are now beginning to show and analysts suggest these could be exacerbated by this loss. | But cracks in the party are now beginning to show and analysts suggest these could be exacerbated by this loss. |
| "Erdogan is extremely worried," Murat Yetkin, a journalist and writer, said ahead of the vote. | "Erdogan is extremely worried," Murat Yetkin, a journalist and writer, said ahead of the vote. |
| "He is playing every card he has. If he loses, by whatever margin, it's the end of his steady political rise over the past quarter of a century," he added. | "He is playing every card he has. If he loses, by whatever margin, it's the end of his steady political rise over the past quarter of a century," he added. |
| "In reality, he'll still be president, his coalition will still control parliament - although many will perceive his defeat as the beginning of the end for him." | "In reality, he'll still be president, his coalition will still control parliament - although many will perceive his defeat as the beginning of the end for him." |