Millions voted in local elections this week, resulting in a resounding defeat for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his governing Justice and Development Party. The opposition, Republican People’s Party (CHP), won mayoral victories in Turkey’s five largest cities: Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Bursa, and Antalya. Wilson Center Middle East Program Coordinator Yusuf Can comments on the significance of the CHP win. He talks about why Erdogan’s Party suffered so many losses, why these elections were historic for women in particular, and what this win will mean for the morale of the opposition party and the everyday voter.
