Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced on Sunday his former environment minister Murat Kurum has been named as the candidate of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) for the upcoming Istanbul mayoral election.
In the crucial elections scheduled for March, Kurum will run against incumbent mayor Ekrem Imamoglu from the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP).
Erdogan’s AKP lost Istanbul to the CHP in 2019 after nearly 25 years of rule in Türkiye’s largest city.
The AKP revealed only 26 of its candidates for metropolitan municipalities and will continue announcing its other nominees for the upcoming polls.
The AKP will also try to win the capital Ankara in March after being defeated by the CHP candidate in 2019. ■
