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As AKP loses big cities, has Erdogan overplayed his hand?

In an interview with Al-Monitor, American social anthropologist Jenny White describes the challenges that lie ahead for the abashed ruling party and the triumphant opposition after Turkey's electoral upset.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan attends a news conference at Huber Mansion†in Istanbul, Turkey March 31, 2019. REUTERS/Murad Sezer - RC1555E30F00
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attends a news conference at the Huber Mansion in Istanbul, Turkey, March 31, 2019. — REUTERS/Murad Sezer

The aftershocks of the political earthquake triggered by Sunday’s municipal elections in Turkey that saw the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) lose key cities to the main opposition continue to reverberate with some AKP candidates refusing to formally concede defeat, notably in the country’s commercial powerhouse Istanbul.

But few believe the country’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will risk unleashing a wave of popular protests that would further destabilize the economy, whose lagging performance was seen as a key factor driving the opposition's hefty gains. 

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