High voter engagement, diverse party victories mark Türkiye's local elections

Türkiye's local elections have culminated with a significant turnout, reflecting a strong democratic spirit.

President of the Supreme Election Council (YSK) Ahmet Yener reported a notable engagement of the electorate, marking a decisive moment in Türkiye's political landscape.

By Monday morning, 99.99% of the ballot boxes had been opened for metropolitan and 99.95% for municipal mayor elections.

Yener announced that 78.11% of our registered voters participated in these elections. With 207,848 polling stations set up, approximately 61 million voters had the opportunity to cast their ballots.

"According to the initial results, the Republican People’s Party (CHP) won 35 mayoral positions, while the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) secured 24. Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) achieved victories in 10 and eight municipalities, respectively," Yener said.

The elections saw a diverse distribution of mayoral positions across different parties. The CHP emerged victorious in 14 major cities, while the AK Party won 12, the DEM Party three, and the New Welfare Party(YRP) one.

The larger picture of municipal governance reflected a similar pattern. "We witnessed a diverse political representation in this election, with several parties making significant gains across various regions," said Yener.

In district elections, the AK Party led with 324 wins, closely followed by the CHP with 322. The MHP, HEP, and YRP also made their presence felt with 110, 54, and 37 wins, respectively. The results for 390 town municipalities showcased a similar competitive landscape, with the AK Party leading.

Yener concluded by assuring the integrity and peaceful conduct of the elections, barring a few isolated incidents. "The elections were completed smoothly and without major issues. The official results, along with the signed documents, will be available on our website for public access," he confirmed.

As Türkiye anticipates the final election results, the Supreme Election Council has outlined the next steps in the process. Following the near completion of vote counting, Ahmet Yener announced that objections to the initial results can be filed until April 2.

The district election boards will resolve these objections by April 4, and the provincial election boards by April 7. The final and definitive results of the local elections, after considering all objections, are set to be officially announced by the YSK on April 13. This period marks a crucial phase in affirming the electoral outcomes and ensuring transparency and accuracy in the democratic process.

Source: Newsroom