2024 Turkish local elections

During the local elections of 2019, the opposition parties had formed alliances in key races, and had narrowly defeated the government in the two of the biggest cities in Turkey, namely Istanbul and Ankara. The election in Istanbul was won by a margin smaller than 0.2%, which the government successfully petitioned for a re-run. Τhіѕ сulmіnаtеd іn thе mауοrаl еlесtіοn οf Јunе 2019, whісh thе οррοѕіtіοn wοn іn а lаndѕlіdе.

The elections took place nine months after the 2023 parliamentary and presidential elections, where most parties opposed to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan rallied behind the leader of the Republican People's Party, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, including the center-right Good Party (İYİ) and the pro-Kurdish Green Left Party (YSP) (now renamed to Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM)). Erdoğan, despite the predictions of most surveys, was narrowly reelected. This was despite an ongoing economic crisis and rapidly rising inflation. Following the defeat, the opposition six-party coalition was dissolved by İYİ Party.{{citation needed|date=April 2024}}

Following the 2023 elections, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu remained as the leader of CHP despite calls for him to resign.{{Cite web |last=Sabah |first=Daily |date=2023-06-30 |title=Kılıçdaroğlu set to remain at helm of CHP despite resignation calls |url=https://www.dailysabah.com/politics/elections/kilicdaroglu-set-to-remain-at-helm-of-chp-despite-resignation-calls |access-date=2024-09-25 |website=Daily Sabah |language=en-US}} This culminated in the contested 2023 party congress, where the deputy leader of the parliamentary group of the CHP, Özgür Özel, was elected as the new leader of the CHP.{{Cite web |date=2023-11-05 |title=Turkey's main opposition party elects Ozgur Ozel as new leader |url=https://apnews.com/article/chp-ozel-leadership-kilicdaroglu-turkey-opposition-election-c8fa993c831d7013a22e656002b8781b |access-date=2024-09-25 |website=AP News |language=en}} The call for change was led by the mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem İmamoğlu, who heavily criticized the way in which the CHP's election campaign was run.

The governing AKP and their main partner MHP entered the election in a partnership, where they endorsed each others' candidates in key districts.{{citation needed|date=April 2024}}

AKP nominated Murat Kurum, Member of Parliament for Istanbul (I) electoral district and former Minister of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change, for the mayoral election in Istanbul, which was endorsed by MHP. In Ankara, the alliance nominated the mayor of the district of Keçiören, Turgut Altınok.{{Cite web |date=2024-01-18 |title=Turgut Altınok: AKP'nin Keçiören'le özdeşleşen, 'A takımı' iddiaları ve Melih Gökçek'le tartışmalarıyla bilinen Ankara Büyükşehir Belediye Başkan Adayı |url=https://www.bbc.com/turkce/articles/cp939001n13o |access-date=2024-04-01 |website=BBC News Türkçe |language=tr |archive-date=30 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240130233915/https://www.bbc.com/turkce/articles/cp939001n13o |url-status=live }}

File:CHP 2024 local elections campaign slogan.svg

The main opposition CHP, which had won Ankara and Istanbul in 2019 nominated the same mayors for a second term. Thus, Ekrem İmamoğlu was nominated for the municipality of Istanbul, and Mansur Yavaş was nominated in Ankara.

After the 2023 elections, İYİ leader Meral Akşener, along with the party's executive committee, refused to cooperate with CHP like they did in 2019. This was despite the CHP repeatedly offering an alliance with them.{{cite web |access-date=24 September 2023 |archive-date=26 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230926132344/https://www.dha.com.tr/politika/aksener-ittifak-sistemini-reddediyoruz-2314142 |date=18 September 2023 |language=tr |title=Akşener: İttifak sistemini reddediyoruz |url=https://www.dha.com.tr/politika/aksener-ittifak-sistemini-reddediyoruz-2314142 |url-status=live |work=DHA {{!}} Demirören Haber Ajansı}}{{Cite web |date=2023-12-04 |title=İYİ Parti, CHP'nin seçim işbirliği önerisini neden reddetti? |url=https://www.bbc.com/turkce/articles/ce9p5v87ejno |access-date=2024-04-01 |website=BBC News Türkçe |language=tr |archive-date=4 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231204210414/https://www.bbc.com/turkce/articles/ce9p5v87ejno |url-status=live }}

{{See also|List of political parties in Turkey}}

General information about the parties that meet the conditions to participate in the election as of 2 January 2024 is listed here.{{cite web |access-date=4 January 2024 |archive-date=3 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240103214101/https://www.resmigazete.gov.tr/eskiler/2024/01/20240102M1-2.pdf |date=2 January 2024 |publisher=resmigazete.gov.tr |title=YÜKSEK SEÇİM KURULU KARARI |url=https://www.resmigazete.gov.tr/eskiler/2024/01/20240102M1-2.pdf}}{{cite web |access-date=4 January 2024 |archive-date=3 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240103213715/https://www.yenicaggazetesi.com.tr/ysk-baskani-yerel-secime-girebilecek-partileri-acikladi-751161h.htm |date=2 January 2024 |language=tr |title=YSK Başkanı yerel seçime girebilecek partileri açıkladı |url=https://www.yenicaggazetesi.com.tr/ysk-baskani-yerel-secime-girebilecek-partileri-acikladi-751161h.htm |work=Yeniçağ Gazetesi}} The Innovation Party announced that it would not participate in the election.{{cite web |access-date=23 January 2024 |archive-date=23 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240123132706/https://www.gazeteduvar.com.tr/amp/yenilik-partisi-yerel-secime-katilmayacak-haber-1661079 |date=11 January 2024 |title=Yenilik Partisi yerel seçime katılmayacak |url=https://www.gazeteduvar.com.tr/amp/yenilik-partisi-yerel-secime-katilmayacak-haber-1661079 |work=www.gazeteduvar.com.tr}} The places of 35 political parties on the ballot paper were announced by the YSK on 27 January 2024.{{cite web |access-date=28 January 2024 |archive-date=27 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240127194913/https://www.bbc.com/turkce/articles/cge7wzdgrk2o.amp |date=27 January 2024 |language=tr |title=Partilerin oy pusulasındaki yerleri belli oldu |url=https://www.bbc.com/turkce/articles/cge7wzdgrk2o |work=BBC News Türkçe}}

Because of long-running court cases the Green Party and the Humanity and Freedom Party were not included in the ballot.{{Cite web |title=Faaliyette Olan Siyasi Partiler |trans-title=Active political parties |url=https://www.yargitaycb.gov.tr/kategori/108/faaliyette-olan-siyasi-partiler |website=:tr:Yargıtay Cumhuriyet Başsavcılığı (Türkiye) |language=tr |access-date=10 January 2024 |archive-date=13 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200213014933/https://www.yargitaycb.gov.tr/kategori/108/faaliyette-olan-siyasi-partiler |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |title=Türkiye Report 2023 – European Commission |url=https://neighbourhood-enlargement.ec.europa.eu/turkiye-report-2023_en |access-date=29 December 2023 |website=neighbourhood-enlargement.ec.europa.eu |language=en |quote=Regarding political associations, the 8th Administrative Court of Ankara found unlawful the stance of the Ministry of Interior, which prevented the establishment of the Green Party by not providing a ‘received’ certificate for the application and decided to stay the execution of the process. The Court of Appeal has since removed the stay of execution decision regarding the Ministry of Interior’s act, the Green Party is again prevented from being established and the case is still pending. The file for the establishment of the Humanity and Freedom Party is pending before the Constitutional Court. |archive-date=23 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231223163712/https://neighbourhood-enlargement.ec.europa.eu/turkiye-report-2023_en |url-status=live }}{{Rp|page=38}}

Around 594,000 security personnel were deployed nationwide to ensure the regular conduct of the election.

On 10 February, gunmen opened fire at a campaign event in the Küçükçekmece district municipality of Istanbul for AKP mayoral candidate Aziz Yeniay, critically injuring one person. Seventeen people were arrested in connection with the attack.{{Cite news |date=11 February 2024 |title=17 people detained after attack at Istanbul election campaign event, official says |url=https://apnews.com/article/turkey-istanbul-election-attack-ceae16a15eb2760c07a735ae32322af9 |work=Associated Press |access-date=10 March 2024 |archive-date=11 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240211122058/https://apnews.com/article/turkey-istanbul-election-attack-ceae16a15eb2760c07a735ae32322af9 |url-status=live }}

On 10 March, 33 people suspected of involvement with Islamic State were arrested in police raids in Sakarya Province on suspicion of plotting attacks ahead of the election. Authorities also recovered weapons, cash and "organizational documents".{{Cite news |date=10 March 2024 |title=Turkish police detain 33 people accused of plotting attacks ahead of local elections, official says |url=https://apnews.com/article/islamic-state-elections-sakarya-yerlikaya-23ff094b7d157277ebdd6c8fb70be6bf |work=Associated Press |access-date=10 March 2024 |archive-date=10 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240310153341/https://apnews.com/article/islamic-state-elections-sakarya-yerlikaya-23ff094b7d157277ebdd6c8fb70be6bf |url-status=live }}

On election day, one person was killed and 11 others were injured following a dispute over the election of a neighborhood administrator in Diyarbakır, while six people were injured in clashes in Şanlıurfa Province.{{Cite news |date=1 April 2024 |title=In setback to Turkey's Erdogan, opposition makes huge gains in local election |url=https://apnews.com/article/turkey-local-elections-erdogan-popularity-test-8adc4df56cdbce24f78900e1d142ff21 |work=Associated Press |access-date=1 April 2024 |archive-date=1 April 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240401124501/https://apnews.com/article/turkey-local-elections-erdogan-popularity-test-8adc4df56cdbce24f78900e1d142ff21 |url-status=live }}

{{Election results

|party1=Republican People's Party

|votes1=17391548

|party2=Justice and Development Party

|votes2=16339771

|party3=New Welfare Party

|votes3=2851784

|party4=Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party

|votes4=2625588

|party5=Nationalist Movement Party

|votes5=2297662

|party6=Good Party

|votes6=1735924

|party7=Victory Party

|votes7=800905

|party8=Felicity Party

|votes8=503210

|party9=Free Cause Party

|votes9=253648

|party10=Great Unity Party

|votes10=200301

|party11=Democracy and Progress Party

|votes11=150600

|party12=Independent Turkey Party

|votes12=113043

|party13=Democrat Party

|votes13=92166

|party14=Homeland Party

|votes14=78289

|party15=Workers' Party of Turkey

|votes15=71108

|party16=Communist Party of Turkey

|votes16=51303

|party17=Democratic Left Party

|votes17=48516

|party18=Patriotic Party

|votes18=43240

|party19=New Turkey Party

|votes19=42646

|party20=Nation Party

|votes20=38578

|party21=Future Party

|votes21=34212

|party22=Rights and Freedoms Party

|votes22=31633

|party23=Labour Party

|votes23=29985

|party24=Left Party

|votes24=22810

|party25=Motherland Party

|votes25=17739

|party26=Communist Movement of Turkey

|votes26=17406

|party27=Justice Union Party

|votes27=15790

|party28=National Path Party

|votes28=15705

|party29=People's Liberation Party

|votes29=8654

|party30=Anatolia Union Party

|votes30=6139

|party31=True Path Party

|votes31=3921

|party32=Hearth Party

|votes32=2401

|party33=Enlightened Democracy Party

|votes33=287

|party34=Independents

|votes34=108144

|total_sc=0

|invalid=2210042

|electorate=61430934

|source=[https://secim.sozcu.com.tr/secim2024Mart31 Sözcü], [https://secim.hurriyet.com.tr/31-mart-2024-yerel-secimleri/secim-sonuclari/ Hürriyet], [https://secim.aa.com.tr/ Anadolu Agency]

}}

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{{Image label small|x=0.572|y=0.388|scale={{{width|700}}}|text=Gaziantep}}

{{Image label small|x=0.58|y=0.414|scale={{{width|700}}}|text=Kilis}}

{{Image label small|x=0.666|y=0.384|scale={{{width|700}}}|text=Şanlıurfa}}

{{Image label small|x=0.612|y=0.344|scale={{{width|700}}}|text=Adıyaman}}

{{Image label small|x=0.67|y=0.16|scale={{{width|700}}}|text=Gümüşhane}}

{{Image label small|x=0.698|y=0.132|scale={{{width|700}}}|text=Trabzon}}

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{{Image label |x=0.320|y=0.499|scale={{{width|700}}}|text=Click the province names to see the results.}}

{{Image label end}}

The list below shows the parties governing the capitals of the 81 provinces before and after the local elections. Provinces in bold denote metropolitan municipalities.

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Note: AK Party is abbreviated "AKP" and Yeniden Refah is abbreviated "YRP" here for visualisation purposes. Metropolitan municipalities are in bold.

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President Erdoğan acknowledged the AKP's electoral losses but said that it would mark "not an end for us but rather a turning point", adding that he would respect the result, "correct our mistakes and redress our shortcomings". The CHP’s Özgür Özel praised voters, saying that they had established a "new political order" in Turkey leading to "a new political climate".{{Cite news |date= 1 April 2024 |title= Turkish local elections: Opposition stuns Erdogan with historic victory |url= https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-68704375 |work= BBC |access-date= 1 April 2024 |archive-date= 1 April 2024 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20240401082116/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-68704375 |url-status= live }} İYİ leader Meral Akşener called for an extraordinary party congress amid demands for her resignation.{{Cite web |date=2024-04-01 |title=Ağır hezimet sonrası Meral Akşener'den kongre kararı |url=https://www.sozcu.com.tr/agir-hezimet-sonrasi-meral-aksener-den-ilk-aciklama-p36536 |access-date=2024-04-02 |website=Sozcu.com.tr |language=tr |archive-date=2 April 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240402120311/https://www.sozcu.com.tr/agir-hezimet-sonrasi-meral-aksener-den-ilk-aciklama-p36536 |url-status=live }}

This was the first election since the governing Justice and Development Party (AKP)'s establishment in 2001 that it did not come first in a national election, with the CHP winning 37.8% of the vote compared to the AKP's 35.5%. It was the first nationwide election since 1977 in which the CHP came first. CHP affiliated mayors now govern cities which make up 64% of Turkey's population and 80% of its economy.{{cite web |access-date=17 April 2024 |language=tr |title=Türkiye’de tarihi sonuç: Türkiye ekonomisinin yüzde 80’i CHP’nin eline geçti |url=https://www.ilksesgazetesi.com/siyaset/turkiye-de-tarihi-sonuc-turkiye-ekonomisinin-yuzde-80-i-chp-nin-eline-gecti-261160 |work=www.ilksesgazetesi.com |archive-date=18 April 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240418014918/https://www.ilksesgazetesi.com/siyaset/turkiye-de-tarihi-sonuc-turkiye-ekonomisinin-yuzde-80-i-chp-nin-eline-gecti-261160 |url-status=live }} Commentators compared the vote to the 1989 local election, where the centre-left opposition at the time had scored significant victories against long-standing right-wing governments and came first in the popular vote. Nevertheless, the People's Alliance did score some victories against the opposition, taking the traditionally opposition-leaning mayoralties of Hatay and Kırklareli, and narrowly won a plurality of district municipalities.

The smaller centre-right opposition İYİ Party performed poorly across the country, coming sixth in terms of popular vote and losing over half its vote share. Its leader, Meral Akşener, called an extraordinary party congress but did not announce whether she would run again for the leadership. Meanwhile, the Islamist conservative New Welfare Party (YRP) came third with over 6% of the vote, winning many municipalities in conservative areas from the AKP. The pro-Kurdish DEM Party marginally improved their share of the vote, despite some calls for boycotts in their traditional strongholds due to the likelihood of mayors being forcibly removed from office by the Interior Ministry on charges of supporting separatist terrorism. The Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), the AKP's junior alliance partner, lost votes but retained control of many key municipalities that it had won in the previous election.

Described as an "electoral disaster" for President Erdoğan, commentators speculated that any intention by the government to amend the constitution to extend his presidential term would likely be put on hold. Given the scale of their victories, both İmamoğlu and Yavaş are widely seen as possible opposition candidates for the next Turkish presidential election,{{cite news | url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-04-01/turkey-election-results-istanbul-mayor-ekrem-imamoglu-takes-fight-to-erdogan | title=Erdogan Nemesis Emerges as Top Rival After Istanbul Win | newspaper=Bloomberg | date=April 2024 | access-date=1 April 2024 | archive-date=1 April 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240401113718/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-04-01/turkey-election-results-istanbul-mayor-ekrem-imamoglu-takes-fight-to-erdogan | url-status=live }} which the government refused to bring forward in light of the results despite speculation over early elections.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ekonomim.com/gundem/canli-erdogan-aciklama-yapiyor-haberi-736644|title=Erdoğan erken seçim kapısını kapattı: Önümüzde 4 yıl süre var...|date=4 January 2024|website=ekonomim.com|access-date=1 April 2024|archive-date=1 April 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240401145648/https://www.ekonomim.com/gundem/canli-erdogan-aciklama-yapiyor-haberi-736644|url-status=live}}

On 2 April, authorities annulled the victory of DEM’s Abdullah Zeydan, who won more than 55% of the vote in the mayoral election in Van and declared his rival, Abdullah Arvas from the AKP, the winner despite garnering only 27% of the vote.{{Cite web |date=3 April 2024 |title=Turkey replaces Kurdish mayor with government candidate two days after vote |url=https://www.euractiv.com/section/global-europe/news/turkey-replaces-kurdish-mayor-with-government-candidate-two-days-after-vote/ |access-date=3 April 2024 |website=Euractiv |archive-date=3 April 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240403054311/https://www.euractiv.com/section/global-europe/news/turkey-replaces-kurdish-mayor-with-government-candidate-two-days-after-vote/ |url-status=live }} The decision led to anti-government protests in Van and Istanbul, as well as a rally in Ankara.{{Cite web|url=https://www.barrons.com/news/turkish-election-board-annuls-pro-kurdish-mayoral-candidate-s-win-93375c6e|title=Clashes After Turkey Annuls Pro-Kurdish Mayoral Candidate's Win|date=2 April 2024|website=Barron's|access-date=2 April 2024|archive-date=2 April 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240402190420/https://www.barrons.com/news/turkish-election-board-annuls-pro-kurdish-mayoral-candidate-s-win-93375c6e|url-status=live}} The CHP sent members to Van in support.{{Cite web|url=https://apnews.com/article/turkey-prokurdish-mayor-denied-office-9daf8f28e7205f1c4e2ce1fb32e77562|title=Turkey denies newly elected pro-Kurdish mayor the right to hold office in country's east|date=3 April 2024|website=Associated Press|access-date=3 April 2024|archive-date=3 April 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240403050638/https://apnews.com/article/turkey-prokurdish-mayor-denied-office-9daf8f28e7205f1c4e2ce1fb32e77562|url-status=live}} Tuncer Bakırhan of the DEM called the reversal a "political coup" while the party referred to it as "unlawful and illegitimate".{{cite news |url=https://www.gazeteduvar.com.tr/dem-partiden-mazbata-aciklamasi-karar-gayri-mesrudur-vanda-darbe-var-haber-1681217 |title=DEM Parti'den mazbata açıklaması: Karar gayri meşrudur, Van'da darbe var |language=Turkish |work=Gazete Duvar |date=2024-04-02 |accessdate=2024-04-07 |archive-date=7 April 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240407145427/https://www.gazeteduvar.com.tr/dem-partiden-mazbata-aciklamasi-karar-gayri-mesrudur-vanda-darbe-var-haber-1681217 |url-status=live }} The following day, the Supreme Election Board heard Zeydan's appeal and reinstated him as the winner.{{Cite web|url=https://apnews.com/article/turkey-prokurdish-mayor-mandate-664beac0ea24911a8b5f8af4dd1e6361|title=Turkey’s top election authority restores newly elected pro-Kurdish mayor’s right to hold office|date=3 April 2024|website=Associated Press|access-date=3 April 2024|archive-date=16 April 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240416193501/https://apnews.com/article/turkey-prokurdish-mayor-mandate-664beac0ea24911a8b5f8af4dd1e6361|url-status=live}}

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