The Turkish ruling party’s sweeping victory in nationwide municipal elections consolidates its power and opens the way for further political and economic reforms.
Sunday’s victory also was seen as strengthening the government’s position in trying to reach agreement to unify the divided island of Cyprus. The government has pushed hard for a settlement that would permit a unified Cyprus to enter the European Union on May 1, which is seen as key for Turkey’s own membership hopes.
According to final but unofficial results from Sunday’s voting, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party won in 57 of 81 cities. It won mayoral slots in Istanbul, the country’s cultural and business center, and Ankara, the capital.
In a field of more than 20 political parties, Justice and Development won 43 percent of the overall vote. That was up from the 34 percent it captured in the 2002 national election when it formed the country’s first majority government in more than 20 years.
The leading opposition party, the left-leaning Republican People’s Party, won in nine cities and got approximately 18 percent of the overall vote.
The Justice and Development Party, simultaneously pro-Western and with roots in Turkey’s moderate Islamic movement, has been viewed with suspicion by the country’s secular establishment.
Opinion polls before the vote showed the party winning up to 55 percent of the vote, creating worries in many secular quarters that its popularity could provide a mandate to pursue a religious agenda. Some analysts said those concerns translated into a lower margin of victory.
Erdogan sought to calm fears after the election. He promised to keep Turkey on the secular path laid out by the founder of the modern republic, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.
Erdogan said the party’s latest success “will only increase our responsibilities.”
Analysts said the party’s increase in support from general elections 16 months ago indicated that people outside its conservative and religious core were comfortable with the direction in which it is leading the country and with Erdogan.
