Binali Yıldırım

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has suffered a major defeat after the opposition candidate, Ekrem Imamoglu, won a landslide victory in Sunday's re-run mayoral elections in Istanbul.

Imamoglu, from the Republican People's Party, CHP, received 54 per cent of total votes cast and finished the race nearly 800,000 votes ahead of his rival according to semi-official results.

Ekrem Imamoglu had won the first mayoral vote in March by a slim margin of 13,000 votes over Erdogan's chosen candidate, Binali Yildirim, who contested the results and a new election was ordered. 
After being stripped of that victory over disputed claims of fraud, Imamoglu vowed a "battle for democracy" that turned him into a household name. 

Voters in Istanbul on Sunday go to the polls to elect a new mayor for a second time after the results of the first round of mayoral elections on March 31 were cancelled when President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's coalition complained of irregularities following its major defeat in them.

Today is the reflection day in Istanbul. Tomorrow will be held the second local elections in the largest Turkish city, BNT reported. In preliminary polls, the candidate of the main opposition Republican People's Party, Ekrem İmamoğlu, is leading with about 5 percent in front of the former prime minister, Binali Yildirim.

Binali Yildirim, the Istanbul mayoral candidate from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), said Greece and Turkey should not let bilateral relations be affected by outside forces, as any problems can be resolved between the two countries.

Binali Yıldırım, Istanbul mayoral candidate for the Ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), says he is amenable to a joint TV interview with the main opposition candidate, Ekrem İmamoğlu.

Istanbul's rail system will be increased to 518 kilometers in five years, Binali Yıldırım, the ruling Justice and Development Party's (AKP) mayoral candidate for the metropolis vowed on Feb. 28.

Turkish Grand National Assembly's new speaker was elected on Feb. 24 to replace resigning Binali Yıldırım, who is now running for Istanbul mayor in the upcoming March 31 local elections.

The Turkish Parliament is set to elect its new speaker in five days as the current head, Binali Yıldırım, has resigned from his post to run for Istanbul mayor in the upcoming March 31 municipal elections.

Binali Yildirim, Speaker of Turkey's Grand National Assembly has said the country's aim is to "boost friendship" with Greece and "limit hostility."