How Did Newspapers Cover Local Election Results?

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We have compiled how the daily newspapers covered the results of the March 31 local elections, which have not become official yet.

According to the unofficial results, the Nation Alliance, formed by the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) and İYİ (Good) Party, have won the mayoral elections in the three biggest cities, İstanbul, the capital Ankara and İzmir.

Dedicating their first pages completely to the elections, most newspapers focused on the general voting share of the People's Alliance of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP).

In the local elections in Turkey, the parties' general voting shares are estimated upon their voting shares in city municipal councils, where the members are elected by proportional representation.

Pro-government media: "Erdoğan's 15th victory"

Pro-government Sabah said "Erdoğan's 15th Victory" in its headline. While it did not cover the mayoral race results in İstanbul and Ankara, it said AKP candidate Binali Yıldırım "won the race" in İstanbul.

The Star's headline today was "Victory of the People's Alliance." It also claimed that AKP candidate Yıldırım won is İstanbul by a 49.5 percent voting share, saying, "Classical AK Party in İstanbul."

Akşam said, "People Won: AK Party Got İstanbul and 15 metropolitan cities." The paper also claimed that the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) did not win in Iğdır, where it won after a close fight with MHP.

Akit used the headline, "Stability Until 2023," referring to the fact that there will be no elections until the 2023 parliamentary and presidential elections. For İstanbul, Ankara and İzmir, the newspaper published only the voting shares of the AKP candidates on its first page.

Takvim said, "A Love Story," focusing on the general voting share of the People's Alliance. It also claimed that AKP won in İstanbul.

"Time for reform"

Milliyet, Posta and Hürriyet, three newspapers owned by the same media conglomerate, used similar headlines. Milliyet said, "Election is Over, it is Time for Reforms," Posta said, "Time for Reform," and Hürriyet said, "52 Percent Message from Balcony." All three newspapers reported that results for İstanbul are not definitive yet.

"Strongman's Alliance lost"

Among the opposition newspapers, Evrensel said, "Strongman's Alliance Lost," Cumhuriyet said, "Warning to the Strongman." Both papers underpinned that the CHP won in Ankara after 25 years.

Yeni Yaşam said, "Government Shook," Sözcü said, "Ankara Passed to CHP After 25 Years, İstanbul is Like April Fools," Birgün said, "Not Oppression and Repression, but Hope Won."

Yeni Yaşam remarked that HDP won in many places that are run by the government-appointed trustees. (TP/VK)