The Turkish electoral authority ordered the holding of new municipal elections in Istanbul, where he lost Recep Tayyip Erdogan

The Turkish electoral authority ordered Monday the holding of new municipal elections in Istanbul, accepting a request from the president's party Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who protested against the victory of the opposition in the elections of late March.

The mayor of the opposition whose election was invalidated by this decision, Ekrem Imamoglu, condemned the decision of the highest electoral body and called it "treason"

This decision could reinforce accusations of authoritarian drift against Erdogan including the Islamic and conservative party, AKP, affirmed the vote by denouncing "irregularities" that in their opinion, they marred the March 31 election.

"The elections in Istanbul will take place again", The representative of the AKP is held on Twitter in front of the electoral authority, Recep Ozel

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

The new election will take place on June 23, said the YSK Electoral Authority in a statement.

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

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

The uncertainty surrounding municipal results in Istanbul was felt in the quote from the Turkish lirato which he has accumulated losses in recent days is Monday above six lire for one dollar.

Erdogan refused to admit his 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, Republican People's Party (Social Democrat), whose Imamoglu is a member, accuses Erdogan of being a "bad loser" and want to stay by all means in Istanbul, the economic and demographic capital of the country.

"To stand in the elections against the AKP is allowed, but it is forbidden to win (…) It's simply dictatorship!"said on Twitter a CHP co-chair, Onur Adigüzel, also a member of that party in Istanbul.

Thousands of CHP supporters concentrated in the district of Beylikdüzü, Imamoglu stronghold in Istanbul, shouting: "YSK, quit!" or "Tayyip, dictator!", according to AFP correspondents.

"They are trying to take over the elections we won, you can be sad now, but do not lose hope," Imamoglu told his followers.

The decision of YSK "It's totally partial"said Aynur, who approached to express his dissatisfaction. However, He expects that Imamoglu "will come out even stronger" of the new vote.

Following YSK's decision, the CHP convened an urgent meeting of its administration in Istanbul, although The party called on its supporters to "calm down".

In recent days, the AKP and Erdogan have increased pressure on YSK's electorate, calling for repeating elections in Istanbul for "Relieve the conscience of our fellow citizens".

"My fellow citizens tell me: "My President, we must repeat this election". (…) Come, let us face the people and whatever the popular will, we will accept it. It's as simple as that, "he said.

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

Defeat in Istanbul, economic capital of Turkey where lives 20% of the population of the country, That meant an unprecedented electoral setback for Erdogan, who was mayor from 1994 to 1998. A mandate that served as a springboard for his rise in political life.

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.