Professor Sancar criticizes the political and electoral system as failing to allow all segments of the society to express themselves. Nonetheless, she matriculates the regression in AKP's votes, as well as CHP's rise deferring new developments on the left.

Following his death in a helicopter crash days before the elections, MP and BBP party chair Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu was buried yesterday.

According to writer Bora, the 5.6 point increase the MHP received in these local elections compared to 2004, is due to several factors: successful organisation, a party move to the centre, candidate profiles, and local reactions to Kurds.

Province party chair Tekin has announced that the CHP is contesting the results in five districts of Istanbul as well as the town of Safranbolu.

PM Erdoğan loses the referendum game he conceitedly established. People withdraw the conditional support that they gave at the July 2007 elections as a reaction to the army's impositions.

Certain municipalities have greater symbolic value than others, and Prime Minister Erdoğan had told party members his list of targets, most of which have not been reached.

The police made use of the address-based registry of voters to find out where wanted persons would be voting. 590 people were taken into custody. Rights activist Yurtsever was wrongly detained.

As around 98 percent of the votes have been counted, AKP, CHP and MHP share around 78 percent of the votes. The pro-Kurdish DTP has gained.

More than half the votes were counted by 11 pm. At the province municipal council level, the AKP now stand at 39, the CHP at 21, the MHP at 17, the DTP and the SP at 6 percent.

By 9 pm on Sunday, 29 March, 23 percent of the poll boxes had been opened. At the province municipal council level, the AKP has so far received 41 percent, the CHP 19 percent, the MHP and DTP 7 percent each, and the SP 6 percent. As for mayoral candidates, in Istanbul and Ankara the AKP candidates Topbaş and Gökçek are leading. In Izmir, the CHP’s Kocaoğlu has received most votes so far. In Diyarbakır, the DTP’s Baydemir is leading.

The Prime Minister has annonced a crisis package which involves a three-monthly reduction in certain taxes.

Eight organisations will monitor the local elections on Sunday, 29 March, in order to make sure that they are carried out democratically. Most of the sixteen provinces to be monitored are in the east and southeast of Turkey.

500 children in Istanbul and Ankara were asked about their wishes in a study entitled “Children make demands on local authorities”.

DTP candidate for Sur district mayor, Demirbaş thinks this year's spring festivities hold importance because of upcoming elections. He plans to continue providing multilingual local services, if elected. That was why he was dismissed from office.

According to TİHV chair Önen, recently revealed information shows that a divide had formed at military command by the plans to overthrow the government in 2003-2004. "Now, AKP takes on this futile organization through Ergenekon case."

The former president of the Human Rights Association comments on the coup plans revealed in the media and on the Ergenekon investigation. He remembers anticipating tensions in 2003 and 2004, but not a military coup.

300 construction workers working on the new Galatasaray football stadium have not been paid for three months. After refusing to work, they have been dismissed. Lawyer Uluok accuses the football club of being part of this injustice.

Journalist Bila claimed in the Milliyet newspaper today that former Chiefs of Staff Özkök and Büyükanit are willing to go to court in relation to allegations of coup plans which have become public in a diary alleged to belong to journalist Balbay.

Iraqi president talks about a joint call to PKK rebels to give up armed struggle. PKK dismisses the possibility to participate at the conference.

Data from the Turkish Statistical Institute shows that the deepening of the crisis has caused an increase in unemployment. In December 2008 alone, 533,000 people lost their jobs.