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Millions of Turks vote on Sunday, and President Erdogan hopes to regain control of Turkey’s biggest city.
BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaTurkish vote: Battle to run Istanbul becomes key to country’s futurePublished43 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, NECATI SAVAS/EPA-EFEImage caption, Until 2019, President Erdogan’s AK Party had been in charge of Istanbul and Ankara for 25 yearsBy Cagil KasapogluBBC World ServiceMillions of Turks vote in elections on Sunday to decide who runs their biggest cities – and whether President Recep Tayyip Erdogan can wrest back control from the opposition.Turkey’s economic and social powerhouse, Istanbul, was won by a united opposition five years ago under popular mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, shattering the president’s long run of electoral success.Now Mr Erdogan, who was born in this megacity of 16 million people, wants it back and the vote is on a knife-edge.Whatever happens in Istanbul is being seen as a crucial test of whether the opposition can pose a serious threat to Mr Erdogan and his AK Party in the next presidential elections in four years’ time.”Istanbul is his home. Losing Istanbul to the opposition in the 2019 local elections was devastating for him,” says Ihsan Aktas of the department of communication at Istanbul Medipol University and chair of the Genar Political Research Centre.Istanbul was where he grew up, selling sesame bread snacks called Simits before going into politics in the 1970s.Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Recep Tayyip Erdogan started his political career in Istanbul as a member of an Islamist PartyHe headed an Islamist party’s youth branch in the district of Beyogluthen, and rose through the ranks to become mayor, prime minister and ultimately president of Turkey.Erdogan: Turkey’s all-powerful leader of more than 20 yearsRecep Tayyip Erdogan secured a third term in presidential elections last year, but in this latest vote the main opposition party, the secular CHP, is hoping to hold on to big cities that it won back in dramatic fashion five years ago. Not just Istanbul, but the capital Ankara and the tourist city of Antalya. Until 2019, the ruling AK Party and its Islamist predecessors had run the two biggest cities for 25 years.In Istanbul the opposition even defeated his candidate twice, as the AKP alleged there had been irregularities and officials ordered a re-run.Image source, EPAImage caption, Ekrem Imamoglu is seen as the biggest challenger for Mr Erdogan”Although the opposition lost against Erdogan in last year’s presidential election, there is still a strong link between winning Istanbul and winning Turkey,” says Seda Demiralp, professor of political science at the city’s Isik University.”If Imamoglu manages to keep Istanbul, the opposition will still have high hopes for the upcoming 2028 presidential elections.”Ihsan Aktas agrees that whoever wins will have enormous influence beyond Istanbul: “When you have the backing of Istanbul, you directly become an actor in the national politics. And globally too.”The city hosts a fifth of Turkey’s population of nearly 85 million people, and it has a diverse electorate from different political, ethnic, religious and economic backgrounds.Control Istanbul and you control a significant portion of Turkey’s economy including trade, tourism and finance.The candidate chosen to run for Mr Erdogan’s party in Istanbul is Murat Kurum, a 47-year-old former minister for the environment and urbanisation. But it may as well be a race between Ekrem Imamoglu and Mr Erdogan.A former businessman, 52-year-old Mr Imamoglu rose to prominence as mayor of the city’s little-known middle-class district of Beylikduzu and he is viewed as President Erdogan’s biggest challenger in decades.Image source, ERDEM SAHIN/EPA-EFE/REX/ShutterstockImage caption, Supporters of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu attend an election campaign rally in March”In 2019 we closed a chapter, and on 31 March, [the AKP] will be history,” he told supporters at a rally in Beylikduzu.Another victory would bolster his political clout and pave the way for him to run for the presidency in four years’ time, political commentators say.The mayor of Ankara, Mansur Yavas, has also been tipped to run in 2028 and his route to victory on Sunday is seen as more secure.For now Ekrem Imamoglu is keeping his sights on his current job.”I have big dreams for Istanbul, I don’t dream of anything else, but just fulfilling them for now,” he told Turkish daily Cumhuriyet.During his five years in office, Turkey has been in the grip of an economic crisis, although the mayor highlights an extension to the city’s rail system, more green spaces and a major house-building programme.But there is another major concern that grips the people of Istanbul.Last year’s double earthquake in southern Turkey left more than 53,000 people dead and seismologists warn that a devastating quake may hit Istanbul at any moment.Plans to demolish old, dilapidated buildings and build earthquake-resistant replacements are top of the agenda for the AKP.”Murat Kurum is a name identified with urban development, and has a symbolic significance,” says Ms Demiralp, but still “it may not be enough to secure a victory”.Image source, EPA-EFE/REX/ShutterstockImage caption, President Erdogan (R) joins his Istanbul mayoral candidate Murat Kurum (L) at the party’s ralliesPresident Erdogan and top ministers have made winning back Istanbul a personal goal, promising a new era from 31 March.”Istanbul will be returned to its real owner,” he promised hundreds of thousands of supporters at a rally in the city. Now aged 70, he has previously said these will be his last elections. He is in his third term as president and cannot rule beyond 2028 under the constitution.But he hasn’t picked any successors yet and Ihsan Akstas says pinpointing who might replace him as head of the AKP is extremely difficult.”When we ask pollsters who they would like to see replacing Erdogan, they cannot think of anyone. This is a challenge for the party.”Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Istanbul has a population of 16 million and is Turkey’s biggest city by farThat is why Mr Erdogan’s critics believe winning back Istanbul might be used to consolidate his power at both the national and local level, with potential changes to the constitution that would grant him yet another term as president.Unlike recent elections, he also has an advantage in that the opposition is no longer united and polls suggest the race in Istanbul could be neck and neck.Ekrem Imamoglu won in 2019 backed by a six-party coalition of nationalists, secularists, liberals, conservatives, Islamists and, most crucially, the Kurds. Istanbul has a very large Kurdish population.But that opposition collapsed after last year’s presidential defeat and the other opposition parties, including the pro-Kurdish DEM Party, have their own candidates in this race.That could damage Mr Imamoglu’s chances of winning. But another twist could damage Murat Kurum’s hopes too. A new party called the Islamist New Welfare Party could take votes from him, as conservative and religious voters look to alternatives to the AKP.Related TopicsTurkeyRecep Tayyip ErdoganIstanbulMore on this storyWhat to expect from newly emboldened ErdoganPublished29 May 2023Blow for Erdogan in re-run Istanbul pollPublished24 June 2019Erdogan supporters celebrate win in divided TurkeyPublished29 May 2023Top StoriesLive. 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BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaCould you be a fair juror for Trump? We asked New YorkersThis video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Could you be a fair juror for Trump? We asked New YorkersCloseJury selection is under way in Donald Trump’s New York City hush-money trial, with hundreds of people selected as potential jurors.They must answer a questionnaire to determine, among other things, if they can be impartial about the former president.The BBC asked some of those questions to Manhattan residents.SubsectionUS & CanadaPublished50 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRead descriptionExplore moreCould you be a fair juror for Trump? We asked New Yorkers. Video, 00:02:16Could you be a fair juror for Trump? We asked New YorkersSubsectionUS & CanadaPublished50 minutes ago2:16Up Next. A view from inside court for Trump’s blockbuster trial. Video, 00:01:15A view from inside court for Trump’s blockbuster trialSubsectionUS & CanadaPublished19 hours agoUp Next1:15Press, police and protesters: Outside Trump courthouse. Video, 00:01:12Press, police and protesters: Outside Trump courthouseSubsectionUS & CanadaPublished1 day ago1:12Trump’s ‘perp walk’ moment explained in 60 seconds. Video, 00:01:00Trump’s ‘perp walk’ moment explained in 60 secondsSubsectionUS & CanadaPublished31 March 20231:00Editor’s recommendationsCopenhagen stock exchange engulfed by huge fire. Video, 00:01:03Copenhagen stock exchange engulfed by huge fireSubsectionEuropePublished12 hours ago1:03Moment spire collapses at Copenhagen stock exchange. Video, 00:00:43Moment spire collapses at Copenhagen stock exchangeSubsectionEuropePublished11 hours ago0:43Dormice ladders built in the Forest of Dean. Video, 00:00:51Dormice ladders built in the Forest of DeanSubsectionGloucestershirePublished1 day ago0:51Liz Truss: The world was safer under Trump. Video, 00:00:35Liz Truss: The world was safer under TrumpSubsectionUK PoliticsPublished22 hours ago0:35Huge fires blaze along Miami highway. Video, 00:00:33Huge fires blaze along Miami highwaySubsectionUS & CanadaPublished12 hours ago0:33Watch: Georgia opposition leader punches MP during debate. Video, 00:00:34Watch: Georgia opposition leader punches MP during debateSubsectionEuropePublished21 hours ago0:34Wheelie bins fly and a caravan overturns in strong wind. Video, 00:00:24Wheelie bins fly and a caravan overturns in strong windSubsectionStoke & StaffordshirePublished1 day ago0:24Hannah Waddingham calls out demanding paparazzi. Video, 00:00:28Hannah Waddingham calls out demanding paparazziSubsectionEntertainment & ArtsPublished1 day ago0:28Endangered California condor chicks hatched in LA. Video, 00:01:28Endangered California condor chicks hatched in LASubsectionUS & CanadaPublished1 day ago1:28
[ad_1] Jury selection is under way in Donald Trump’s New York City hush-money trial, with hundreds of people selected as potential jurors. They must answer a questionnaire to determine, among…
BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityUKEnglandN. IrelandScotlandAlbaWalesCymruIsle of ManGuernseyJerseyLocal NewsFirst product of Meghan’s lifestyle brand revealedPublished11 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, ReutersImage caption, Meghan pictured at a polo match in Florida last weekBy Sean CoughlanRoyal correspondentA first glimpse of the new business venture from the Duchess of Sussex has been teased on social media, with pictures of a jar of strawberry jam.In a bid to preserve a sense of mystery, the jam from the new American Riviera Orchard brand seemed to be spread among friends and influencers.Fashion designer Tracy Robbins posted a picture of the jam on Instagram.It was numbered “17 of 50”, suggesting the number of recipients of this first fruit of the new business.The arrival of Meghan’s new California-based lifestyle brand had been signalled on social media last month and this suggests that it will be selling food products.What do we know about Meghan’s new brand?Five things about Harry and Meghan’s brand revampWhy did Harry and Meghan leave the Royal Family?There seemed to be have been something of a re-launch for Meghan and husband Prince Harry’s brands and businesses this year, beginning with the overhaul of their regal-looking website under the sussex.com label.Their latest projects seem to be moving away from a previous focus on their time as working royals, such as their Netflix film Harry and Meghan and Prince Harry’s memoir Spare.The hint about the strawberry jam from Meghan’s American Riviera Orchard brand seems to fit with the couple’s latest Netflix plans.Meghan is going to launch a Netflix show which will “celebrate the joys of cooking and gardening, entertaining, and friendship”.Prince Harry will be involved in another Netflix venture showing the inside track on the world of polo. That’s the equestrian sport, not the mints.Delfina Blaquier, married to Prince Harry’s polo-playing friend Nacho Figueras, also posted a picture of the new jam, with hers labelled “10 of 50”.The social media trail for American Riviera Orchard evokes a sense of the couple’s home in California – and this soft launch for the jam show pictures of the jars in a sunny basket of lemons.It’s not known how much items from the new lifestyle brand will cost. Although there are already plenty of other royals getting into jams. Visitors to the gift shops in royal palaces can get a Buckingham Palace Strawberry Preserve for £3.95 or Windsor Castle Fine Cut Seville Orange Marmalade, also for £3.95.On both sides of the Atlantic they seem to be conserving their finances.Related TopicsUK Royal FamilyMeghan, Duchess of SussexMore on this storyWhat we know about Meghan’s regal lifestyle brandPublished16 MarchMeghan launches surprise new lifestyle brandPublished14 MarchTop StoriesMPs back smoking ban for those born after 2009Published8 minutes agoMuslim student loses school prayer ban challengePublished2 hours agoBowen: Iran’s attack on Israel offers Netanyahu a lifelinePublished7 hours agoFeaturesJeremy Bowen: Iran’s attack on Israel offers Netanyahu a lifelineIranians on edge as leaders say ‘Tel Aviv is our battleground’A really, really big election with nearly a billion votersWhat is the smoking ban and how will it work?Martin Tyler: I nearly lost my voice foreverWho are the millions of Britons not working?How to register to vote for the local elections ahead of midnight deadlinePlaying Coachella after cancer emotional, says DJHow the Alec Baldwin fatal film set shooting unfoldedElsewhere on the BBCFrom weight loss to prolonging lifeIs intermittent fasting actually good for you? James Gallagher investigatesAttributionSoundsCould Nina shake up the unspoken rules of modern dating?Brand new comedy about love, friendship and being your own selfAttributioniPlayerWill the UK introduce tough anti-tobacco laws?Under new plans, anyone turning 15 from this year would be banned from buying cigarettesAttributionSoundsCan William Wisting find the truth?The Norwegian detective returns, tackling more grisly cold casesAttributioniPlayerMost Read1Nursery boss ‘killed baby she strapped to beanbag’2Birmingham Airport flights disrupted by incident3Muslim student loses school prayer ban challenge4First product of Meghan’s lifestyle brand revealed5MPs back smoking ban for those born after 20096Police told to shut down right-wing Brussels conference7Historic Copenhagen stock exchange goes up in flames8Bowen: Iran’s attack on Israel offers Netanyahu a lifeline9Marten a ‘lioness’ who ‘loved her cubs’, court told10Sons of McCartney and Lennon release joint single
[ad_1] The jars of strawberry jam, labelled America Riviera Orchard, have been shared with friends and influencers.