More than 50 percent of votes cast The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has overtaken its rivals by a large margin in local elections held on Sunday amid internal polarization and external anticipation.
The Anatolia news agency reported that the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) is leading the country's local elections after more than half of the ballot papers have been counted.
According to Anatolia, the Justice and Development Party (AKP), which belongs to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, received 46.8% of the vote, with 50.3% of the cards being counted.
The agency said the participation rate increased to 83%.
The Republican People's Party (CHP), the main opposition, won 31.3 percent of the votes cast so far.
Competition in the capital city of Ankara and the city of Istanbul, the two most important areas for candidates, is raging.
In Istanbul, the ruling party is 49.68 percent ahead of 47.77 percent of its Republican constituency after 88 percent of votes are counted. In Ankara and Hatay, the figures show the candidates of the People's Party.
The Justice and Development Party (AKP) is advancing in 40 of the 81 states, while the opposition Republican people are advancing in 20 states.
The Turkish street is holding its breath, awaiting the results of the first local elections in the country, after the adoption of the presidential system, and the impact of economic crisis hit the Turkish lira.
The Turkish president has thrown his weight in the election and pushed his former prime minister to compete for the post of mayor of Istanbul, a city of political and cultural symbolism in Turkey and the Muslim world.
The election is not just an internal test for Erdogan, but it puts him at stake in his relations with American and Western leaders.
According to the media, Western capitals are waiting to announce the Turkish results to see whether it will result in the weakness of Erdogan's position or the continued dominance of the political scene.