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Today marks the bazillionth time in the last 6 years #Turkey has set up a ballot box, this time for an unprecedented rerun for Istanbul metropolitan municipality, a prized office and a huge symbol both for the ruling and opposition parties, especially after the rerun decision.
Istanbul is a huge symbol for the ruling AK Party because that’s where it all started - 25 years ago now president, then an outlier but nevertheless outspoken politician Recep Tayyip Erdogan clinched the victory to become Istanbul’s mayor.
Istanbul is a huge symbol for the opposition now as well, because 25 years later they were able to win an election for Turkey’s biggest city - a hopeful moment for them in which felt like they turned the tide. That is until the results of March 31 elections were annulled.
More than 10 million people are eligible to vote today’s Istanbul elections - as some experts I expect a huge turnout, perhaps one of the biggest in Turkey’s electoral history. We’ll see.
Polls in Istanbul opened at 05.00GMT (8AM local) and will close at 14:00GMT (5PM local) - first results should be out by 16:00GMT if the Supreme Electoral Council (YSK) lifts the broadcast ban.
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