ISTANBUL - Turks voted on March 31 in municipal elections focused on President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s bid to reclaim control of Istanbul from major rival Ekrem Imamoglu, who aims to reassert the opposition as a political force after bitter election defeats in 2023.

Istanbul Mayor Imamoglu dealt Mr Erdogan and his AK Party (AKP) the biggest electoral blow in 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.

The votes on March 31 could now reinforce Mr Erdogan’s control of Nato member Turkey, or signal change in the major emerging economy’s divided political landscape. An Imamoglu win is seen fuelling expectations of him becoming a future national leader.

Engineer Murat Ercan, 60, said he disapproved of Mr Erdogan playing an active role in campaigning for his party ahead of the elections, believing the President should be impartial.

“Ekrem Imamoglu is the sort of president we long for, with his constructive and smiling nature, embracing everyone,” Mr Ercan said after casting his ballot in Istanbul.

Polling stations opened at 7am in eastern Turkey (12pm Singapore time), while voting elsewhere started at 8am and ends at 5pm. Initial results are expected by 10pm.

In Istanbul, a city of 16 million people that drives Turkey’s economy, polls suggest a tight race as Mr Imamoglu faces a challenge from AKP candidate Murat Kurum, a former minister.

The results are likely to be shaped in part by economic woes driven by near 70 per cent inflation, and by Kurdish and Islamist voters weighing up the government’s performance.

Some voters said the ruling party had done enough to prove itself.

“The AK Party has completed very important projects for the development of this country,” said 28-year-old Faruk Baran in the south-eastern city of Diyarbakir.

“(It) needs to be strong at the local level in order to continue its services.”

Kurdish voters key

While the main prize for Mr Erdogan is Istanbul, he also seeks to win back the capital Ankara. Both cities were won by the opposition in 2019 after being under the rule of his AKP and Islamist predecessors for the previous 25 years.

Mr Erdogan’s prospects have been helped by the collapse of the opposition alliance that he defeated in 2023, though Mr Imamoglu still appeals to voters beyond his main opposition Republican People’s Party.

Voters of the main pro-Kurdish party were crucial to Mr Imamoglu’s success in 2019. Their DEM Party this time is fielding its own candidate in Istanbul, but many Kurds are expected to put aside party loyalty and vote for him again.

In the mainly Kurdish south-east, DEM aims to reaffirm its strength after the state replaced pro-Kurdish mayors with state-appointed “trustees” following previous elections over alleged militant ties.

“I wish for an end to the trustee system. This election is important for Turkey’s future and for listening to us: Kurds are always decisive,” said 32-year-old civil servant Elif Durgun.

One factor working against Mr Erdogan is a rise in support for the Islamist New Welfare Party due to its hardline stance against Israel over the Gaza conflict and dissatisfaction with the Islamist-rooted AKP’s handling of the economy. REUTERS