PM congratulates Erdogan on 15th consecutive election victory

ISLAMABAD (92 News) – Prime Minister Imran Khan Monday telephoned Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to congratulate him on his 15th consecutive election victory, a brief Prime Minister Media Office statement said. Earlier, the prime minister, in a tweet, congratulated Turkish president and “friend of Pakistan” Recep Tayyip Erdogan on another important victory in the Turkish local elections. “I am delighted to congratulate friend of Pakistan Recep Tayyip Erdogan on another important victory in the Turkish local elections. The people of Pakistan wish him many more successes,” the prime minister said in a tweet.

ترکی کے مقامی انتخابات میں ایک اور اہم فتح سمیٹنے پر میں پاکستان کے دوست رجب طیب اردگان کو دلی مبارکباد پیش کرتا ہوں۔ اہلِ پاکستان دعاگو ہیں کہ اللہ پاک انہیں مزید کامیابیاں عطا فرمائیں۔

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) April 1, 2019

Earlier, in a victory speech, Erdogan thanked the nation for electing the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party in 15th consecutive elections. Erdogan said 56 per cent of municipalities in Turkey will be run by AK Party, in an address to the nation from the balcony of his party headquarters in capital Ankara after Sunday's local election victory. “I would like to thank all my citizens, especially our Kurdish brothers, for showing sensitivity toward the issue of survival,” he said. Turkey’s ruling party is leading the race with 16 metropolitan municipalities and 24 cities claimed by AK Party candidates, according to unofficial results.

Erdogan suffers major setbacks in local elections in Turkey’s big cities

Erdogan suffered stunning setbacks in local elections as his ruling AK Party lost control of the capital Ankara for the first time since the party’s founding in 2001, possibly complicating his plans to fight back recession.

Both the AKP and the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) claimed victory in Istanbul, Turkey’s largest city and economic hub. The AKP said it had “plenty of” evidence of voting irregularities in Istanbul.

Erdogan, who has dominated Turkish politics since coming to power 16 years ago and ruled his country with an ever tighter grip, campaigned relentlessly for two months ahead of Sunday’s vote, which he described as a “matter of survival” for Turkey. But his daily rallies and overwhelmingly supportive media coverage failed to win over voters in the two main cities, as last year’s punishing currency crisis weighed heavily on Turks. “The people have voted in favor of democracy, they have chosen democracy,” said opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu, whose secularist CHP also held its Aegean coastal stronghold of Izmir, Turkey’s third largest city. The AKP and its predecessor have controlled Istanbul and Ankara for 25 years. The results, which were still being tallied and faced appeals, would likely bring personnel changes at the highest ranks of government, according to sources inside and close to the AKP.