Istanbul’s residents will go back to the ballot box on Sunday in a rerun of the mayoral election held nearly four months ago.
After more than 16 million people in Turkey’s commercial hub first voted on March 31, Ekrem Imamoglu, the candidate of main opposition Republican People’s Party’s (CHP), won by a slim margin over Binali Yildirim, the contender fielded by the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party.
The result was a big blow to the AK Party, which in the same local polls also lost control of the country’s capital, Ankara, and Izmir, the third largest city.
The AK Party, led by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, successfully lobbied for a rerun of the Istanbul mayoral vote, after Imamoglu secured his seat with a difference of just 13,729 votes.
Imamoglu spent only 18 days in office when Turkey’s election board ordered a rerun in the country’s largest city, citing “situations which affected the result and honesty” of the poll. The decision came after the AK Party, which ran Istanbul for the past two decades, lodged an “extraordinary objection” against the result.
A country with very few swing voters, residents in Turkey have deep-rooted loyalty to their party.
Kamat, a 39-year-old AK Party supporter, said he was “glad” a new vote would be held.
“CHP cheated … so another election that isn’t rigged will be better,” Kamat, a private security worker who requested his last name not to be used, told Al Jazeera.
Across the divide, similar words are echoed in support of CHP.
Zeynep, who also did not give her last name for fear of reprisal, said she was tired of the AK Party’s “lies”.
“They stole the power from Imamoglu and they’re suppressing the media and every one to think the way they do, always,” the 61-year-old told Al Jazeera.
“I’m tired of the AK Party, I’m tired of their lies and what they’ve done to this country.”
According to Soner Cagaptay, director of the Turkish Research Program at The Washington Institute, the mayoral rerun is an historic turning point in the country.
Cagaptay said never before in the history of Turkey since it became a multiparty democracy in 1950 had the Supreme Electoral Council (YSK) reversed a major election outcome.
“This is the first time … the loser did not accept the outcome, they challenged what they wanted and they got a revote,” Cagaptay told Al Jazeera.
“The board really couldn’t stand under the weight of Erdogan’s political personality and bowed to him.”
Speaking on Sunday during Turkey’s first live TV debate in 17 years, Imamoglu called the rerun a “democracy fight”.
“It is a challenge of democracy … I am an elected metropolitan mayor … [so this is] a challenge against who has claimed our rights,” Imamoglu said.
With Turkey facing its first recession in a decade, the Istanbul mayoral candidates have mostly focused on unemployment, poverty and the cost of living.
According to the most recent data released by the Turkey Statistical Institute in 2017, at 970 billion Turkish lira ($166.6bn) Istanbul accounts for just over 31 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), meaning the city has an economy greater than countries such as Finland, Egypt, Portugal, Greece and Qatar.
Even so, the distribution of GDP per capita has been decreasing for the past six years, squeezing many Istanbul residents.
Social media users took advantage of the live debate on Sunday to ask if each candidate would declare their worth and estates if elected.
The AK Party’s Yildirim replied there is no such “tradition” in doing so.
“But for me there is no problem; we are ready to be accountable,” Yildirim said.
In the purpose of “honesty”, CHP’s Imamoglu said it would be a “pleasure” for him to do so.
Campaign signs erected around the city over the past few weeks openly rival each other as to which side will give the best deal, or even free offers, on everyday necessities such as gas, water and transportation.
CHP claims they will provide a 40 percent reduction in water prices and will provide monthly support to families in need, including distributing free milk to “poor and needy Istanbul residents”.
The AK Party has promised a better deal: a discount of 46 percent on water bills and 10 percent on gas, as well as monthly assistance for low-income families of 50 liras ($8.6) for gas and 80 liras ($13.73) for electricity bills.
Student discounts have become a major issue after Imamoglu proposed, during his 18 days in office, that the monthly transportation fee for university students should be 50 liras ($8.6).
During that time, Imamoglu began livestreaming municipality meetings, which broadcast the AK Party voting against the student transportation discount.
Ahmet Aksoy, an English literature student and CHP supporter, was among those who followed the reactions on social media following the AK Party’s rejection.
“The next day, the AK Party proposed it be a 40-lira ($6.86) discount; that was accepted with their majority and now they’re claiming it as their own idea,” Aksoy said.
“Before the March 31 election, the AK Party didn’t make any major promises [about discounts] … the main issue they spoke about was peace and anti-PKK/ anti-Kurdish propaganda,” he added, referring to the banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).