Erdogan's party suffered its biggest electoral failure in 20 years

Ekrem Imamoglu, the current mayor of Istanbul, has succeeded in his constant appeal to the secular base Photo: Chris McGrath/Getty Images Europe

Some of Mr Erdogan's core Islamist voters also appeared unhappy with the president and the AKP, writing the words «Gaza» and «Free Palestine» on their paper ballots rather than stamping them with «yewet» or «yes».< /p>< p>Erdogan, who has capitalized on pro-Palestinian sentiment, has not officially severed diplomatic ties with Israel, a move that appears to have upset some supporters.

In Istanbul, incumbent mayor Ekrem Imamoglu has been successful in his ongoing appeal to the secular base.

“Tonight, 16 million Istanbul citizens sent a message to both our rivals and the president,” Mr. Imamoglu told his president. supporters on Sunday, as some in the crowd chanted demanding Erdogan's resignation.

«Those who do not understand the message of the nation will ultimately lose,» he said.

Despite some calls for the resignation of the Turkish president, Mehmet Ucum, his top adviser, said that early elections will not take place until 2028, when Erdogan's current presidential term ends.

Mr Imamoglu, a businessman who entered politics in 2008, is considered a serious contender for the presidency.

However, he remains embroiled in various legal cases that supporters say are an attempt to create political obstacles.

In 2022, a Turkish judge sentenced Imamoglu to two and a half years in prison and imposed a political ban; The appeal court has not yet ruled on this case.

The CHP retained its mayoral post in the Turkish capital Ankara. Photo: dia images/Getty Images Europe

Another case was filed last year against Mr Imamoglu on charges of tender rigging and could carry a maximum penalty of seven years in prison.

Himself Erdogan was also jailed for four months in 1999 for reciting a poem that the court found to incite religious hatred, an incident that enhanced his star power.

Will the CHP's success last until the next presidential term? the election remains to be seen.

Before heading to the polls, some Turks talked about voting for what they see as the lesser of two evils; others, frustrated by the country's deeply divided political landscape, didn't bother to vote at all.

Turnout was indeed lower than in the last election: about 76 percent of the 61 million people eligible to vote, according to data in Anadolu, compared with 87 percent in last year's presidential election.

Local elections are open only to Turkish voters living in the country, while presidential elections are open to eligible Turks living abroad, and the diaspora has long been a bastion support for the AKP.

As election results approach, Mr Erdogan said his alliance had “lost altitude” across Turkey and vowed to seek help.

“If we succeed , a mistake, we will correct it,” he said. “If we lack something, we will add it.”