STORY: Istanbul Mayor Imamoglu dealt Erdogan and his AK Party the biggest electoral blow of two decades in power with his win in the 2019 vote. The president struck back in 2023 by securing re-election and a parliament majority with his nationalist allies.
A potential Imamoglu win would fuel expectations of him becoming a future national leader. However, polls suggest a tight race in the capital city of 16 million people, as Imamoglu faces a challenge from AKP candidate Murat Kurum, a former minister.
Polling stations opened at 7 a.m. (0400 GMT) in eastern Turkey and elsewhere at 8 a.m., with more than 61 million people registered to vote. Voting ends at 5 p.m. and initial results are expected by 10 p.m. (1900 GMT).
Price
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Change
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5d. change
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Capi.
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32.22 TRY | +0.34% | +0.07% | - | ||
| 10,677 PTS | +0.19% | -0.58% | - | ||
