BFF-39 Erdogan’s party to demand total recount of Istanbul ballots

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BFF-39

TURKEY-POLITICS-VOTE,LEAD

Erdogan’s party to demand total recount of Istanbul ballots

ISTANBUL, April 7, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Turkish President Recep Tayyip
Erdogan’s party said Sunday it will demand a recount of all ballots cast in
Istanbul during last week’s mayoral election won by an opposition candidate.

The Justice and Development Party (AKP) will make the demand by 5 pm
(1400 GMT), its vice president Ali Ihsan Yavuz said. A recount is already
under way in several of Istanbul’s 39 districts.

On Saturday, a party spokesman said the AKP would accept the results of
local election recounts in Istanbul as well as Ankara, no matter which party
is declared the winner.

The AKP won most votes nationwide in last Sunday’s election, but results
showed the ruling party lost Ankara and was also narrowly defeated in
Istanbul in what would be one of their worst setbacks in a decade and a half
in power.

Electoral authorities are conducting a recount in scores of districts in
Ankara and in Istanbul where tallies showed the opposition CHP candidate
Ekrem Imamoglu with a very slim lead over the AKP.

Losing Istanbul would be a blow to Erdogan, who built his political
career as mayor of the city before becoming prime minister and later
president.

BSS/AFP/RY/1950 hrs