Turkey's Erdoğan signals rerun of contested Istanbul polls

[Richard D]

Source: Ahval

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan signalled on Saturday his support for a mayoral election rerun in Istanbul, where opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu won a victory on March 31, independent news site T24 reported.

"There is a controversy here, it's clear. There is an irregularity here, that's clear too. Let's go to the people and see what they say and whatever the outcome, we will accept it," Erdogan said while addressing businesspeople in Istanbul.

Erdoğan’s comments follows a move by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), which lost control of Turkey’s most populous five provinces in the March 31 mayoral elections, to file an appeal to Turkey's Supreme Election Council (YSK) to annul the election in Istanbul, citing irregularities and fraud at the ballot boxes. The council is expected to announce its decision on Monday.

"The removal of this fraud will both exonerate the YSK and work to relieve the hearts of our nation,’’ the Turkish president added.

Read more: https://ahvalnews.com/local-elections/turkeys-erdogan-signals-rerun-contested-istanbul-polls

---

Pretty much kills the democratic revolution in Turkey.

[LiberalLovinLug]

1. "..to annul the election in Istanbul, citing irregularities and fraud at the ballot boxes"

In other words....Our efforts to fraudulently steal the position failed. There was enough voters to overcome our efforts. So we have to go with plan B.