Erdogan vows to make amends after worst poll loss in 20 years

Istanbul, April 1

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President Tayyip Erdogan vowed on Monday to correct any mistakes that led to his party’s defeat in Turkey’s local elections where the opposition capitalised on economic woes and alienated Islamist voters, casting uncertainty over his reform plans.

Sunday’s vote marked Erdogan and his AK Party’s (AKP) worst defeat in more than 20 years in power, revitalising the opposition party and strengthening Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu’s standing as the president’s main rival.

Erdogan delivered a sombre and introspective speech in the early hours of Monday.

“This is not an end for us, but actually a turning point,” he said, acknowledging a “loss of altitude” for the AKP. “If we made a mistake, we will fix it,” he told crowds gathered at AKP headquarters in Ankara. — Reuters