The contest to run city hall in Istanbul, Turkey’s largest city and economic dynamo, is in many ways between one man who is on the ballot and another who is not.
The first is the incumbent, Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, a rising star in the political opposition who won in a surprise victory in 2019 and is widely seen as a potential contender for the presidency.
The second is President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who served as Istanbul’s mayor decades ago and has wanted to return his hometown to the control of his governing Justice and Development Party since Mr. Imamoglu’s win.
The outcome will be decided by municipal elections on Sunday that will in many ways shape Turkey’s political future.
Persons:
Ekrem Imamoglu, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Imamoglu’s
Organizations:
Development Party
Locations:
Istanbul, Turkey’s