Turkey's opposition claims victory in Istanbul & Ankara in a blow to Erdogan

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#Turkiye

#Ekremlmamoglu

Turkey's main opposition party has claimed victory in Istanbul and Ankara in local elections, inflicting the biggest defeat on President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Justice and Development Party (AK Party) in more than two decades. With more than 95 percent of ballot boxes opened in Istanbul on Sunday, Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu of the Republican People's Party (CHP) said he had defeated Erdogan's ruling AK Party candidate by more than 1 million votes.

In the capital Ankara, CHP's Mayor Mansur Yavas claimed victory over his rival, hailing the result as a "clear message to those who rule this country".

The CHP was also ahead in Izmir, Turkey's third city.