터키 이스탄불 시장 재선거서 여당 패배...에르도안 정권 타격<br /><br />Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has suffered the biggest defeat of his political career at the hands of the opposition party candidate for mayor of Istanbul.<br />The result puts an end to Erdogan and his party's 25-year dominance in Turkey's largest city.<br />Kan Hyeong-woo has the latest. <br />Turkey's main opposition party has won Istanbul's re-run mayoral election with its candidate Ekrem Imamoglu receiving 54 percent of the votes.<br />Imamoglu and the Republican People's Party have dealt a huge blow to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, as he, citing voting irregularities, called for the annulment of the previous election which was also won by Imamoglu.<br />"This society will be greeted with freedom. This society will also fix wrongdoing, you will see. I have faith in our people. I also believe that people have faith in democracy. I thank our President Erdogan and my rival (AK Party Istanbul candidate Binali Yildirim) who congratulated me."<br />Imamoglu's supporters took to the streets of Istanbul to celebrate what they saw as justice being served after the original victory by the Republican People's Party was annulled in March. <br />"We knew the outcome would be like this. Imamoglu has been the winner since the beginning but he was wronged and they (those who wronged him) got the answer."<br />With the ruling party still controlling 25 of Istanbul's 39 districts and a majority in the municipal assembly, Imamoglu will need their cooperation to govern the city.<br />Nevertheless... Imamoglu's victory marks a new beginning in Turkey's political landscape, because just like Erdogan, who has ruled the country since 2003 both as Prime Minister and now President, has stated it before - 'whoever wins Istanbul, wins Turkey'. <br />Kan Hyeong-woo, Arirang News <br />
