Cacerolazos and demonstrations in Istanbul after the decision of the Turkish regime to cancel the victory of the opposition in the municipal elections

Thousands of people demonstrated in Istanbul on Monday, hitting pots after the overthrow of Recep Tayyip Erdogan's regime the victory on March 31 of the social democratic opposition in the municipal elections, which ended twenty-five years of Islamist governments in the city.

The event began spontaneously in the city's neighborhoods.on neighbors ringing pots of balconies and windows and many drivers honking their cars.

Many Istanbulites are shouting the name of Ekrem Imamogluwinner of the elections with the Social Democratic Party CHP, who officially took office on 17 April.

The event was also transferred to social networks, with thousands of citizens sharing videos of caceroladasalthough street demonstrations are still rare.

The presidential party Islamo affirmed the vote by denouncing "irregularities" that in their opinion, they marred the March 31 election.

"The elections in Istanbul will take place again," said the representative of the AKP to the electoral authorities on Twitter, Recep Ozel

The decision to cancel the previous election and order a new one was taken at a meeting of the YSK electorate in Ankara. to consider an "extraordinary appeal" against the results presented by the AKP in mid-April, according to the state agency Anadolu.

The Mayor of Istanbul, Imamoglu, condemned the decision of the highest electoral He called it a "betrayal". The opposition turned to thousands of supporters of the city center following the decision of the electorate: "Those who make decisions in this country may be (commit …) treason, but we will never surrender, we will keep hope."

Local media reported that June 23 is the date on which the new elections will likely take place.

In the elections of March 31, the candidate of several opposition parties, Ekrem Imamoglu, defeated AKP, former Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, with less than 13,000 benefits, a tiny difference compared to the size of the Turkish megacity.

The Erdogan AKP also lost the capital Ankara, rebuff mainly justified by the economic storm that shakes the country, with the first recession in 10 years, inflation of 20% and a devalued currency.

Uncertainty surrounding municipal results in Istanbul was felt in the quote from the Turkish lira that has accumulated losses in recent days to place Monday on top of six lire for one dollar.

Erdogan refused to admit the defeat in Istanbul, controlled by the Islamist movement for 25 years, and denounced "mbadive irregularities". The AKP criticizes the heads of the polling centers for having minimized the number of votes obtained by their candidate.

The main opposition party, the CHP (Social Democrats), of which Imamoglu is a member, accuses Erdogan of being a "bad loser" and wanting to stay by all means in Istanbul, economic and demographic capital of the country.

After the decision of YSK, eCHP convened urgent meeting of its administration in Istanbulalthough the party called on its supporters to "calm down".

Erdogan, who again insisted on the YSK, had again called on Saturday for the repeated elections in Istanbul, urging the electoral authority to "relieve the conscience of our fellow citizens": "My fellow citizens tell me:" My President, we must reiterate this election ". (…) Come, let us face the people and whatever the popular will, we will accept it. It's as simple as that. "

Imamoglu, who received his mayoral mandate from Istanbul last month, appealed to YSK "make a decision based on law and justice".

The defeat in Istanbul, the economic capital of Turkey where 20% of the country's population lives, represented an unprecedented electoral setback for Erdogan, mayor from 1994 to 1998. A mandate that served as a springboard to continue his rise in politics.

On Sunday the agency Anadolu He added that the authorities had found links between a "terrorist organization" and the officials of the polling stations responsible for the municipal recount in Istanbul.

With information from AFP and EFE