The rise of Turkish main opposition CHP in municipalities

Murat Yetkin writes: Erdoğan’s government has been depriving tens of millions of citizens living in big cities and opted for opposition mayors, from crucial loans to be used on infrastructure. If he aims to punish those who voted in favor of the opposition instead of his candidates, it’s evident that this reaction isn’t working, and is, instead, backfiring.

Duvar English

Renowned Turkish journalist Murat Yetkin, in his last piece, analyzed the policies undertaken by mayors of Ankara and Istanbul under the financial constraints imposed by President Erdoğan's government. According to Yetkin, Erdoğan's strategy of punishing those who voted in favor of the opposition instead of his candidates through cutting crucial loans to be used on infrastructure is not working, and is, instead, backfiring.

Pointing at recent opinion polls which were aimed at measuring the popularity of local politicians, Yetkin reminded that Mansur Yavaş stands out as the most popular mayor. Yavaş had won the elections with a 51% majority; as of December 2019, and his popularity has risen to 63% percent.

Full text of Murat Yetkin's article can be reached here