Turkey’s opposition party mayoral candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu on Sunday thanked Istanbulites for protecting democratic tradition, as results of Istanbul’s local election re-run showed a comfortable win for him.
“A NEW HOPE”
Speaking to media in Istanbul, Ekrem İmamoğlu, newly elected mayor of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) said, “You protected the dignity of Turkey’s democracy in front of the whole world. You protected our more than a century-old democratic tradition, thanks to fellow citizens of Istanbul,” he said.
İmamoğlu said the outcome of the election is not a victory but a “new beginning” for the city.
According to unofficial results, With 99.37% of ballot boxes opened, CHP’s Imamoglu got 54.03% of the votes, while AK Party’s Yildirim received 45.04% as of 8.00 p.m. local time (1700GMT).