Parties challenge local polls in 25 provinces of Turkey

IZMIR, Turkey

Political parties that have participated in March 31 local elections in Turkey challenged election results in 25 provinces by the end of the objection process on Wednesday.

Parties and four independent candidates have contested the decisions given by Provincial Electoral Councils and decided to pursue their legal rights with the Supreme Election Council (YSK).

While the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party has challenged results in 9 provinces -- including metropolitan cities Istanbul and Izmir -- main opposition People's Republican Party (CHP) challenged results in five, opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) in six, Good (IYI) Party in four, Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) in five and Democrat Party (DP) in one province.

The AK Party said that there were many irregularities as many votes were not registered in the system of the YSK, while the votes registered later were written in different sections, or the sections were left empty.

Millions of Turkish voters cast their votes nationwide on March 31 in the local elections to choose Turkey’s mayors, city council members, mukhtars (neighborhood officials), and members of elder councils for the next five years.

IZMIR, Turkey

Political parties that have participated in March 31 local elections in Turkey challenged election results in 25 provinces by the end of the objection process on Wednesday.

Parties and four independent candidates have contested the decisions given by Provincial Electoral Councils and decided to pursue their legal rights with the Supreme Election Council (YSK).