Shock Result Opposition Delivers Electoral Blow To Erdoğan's Party

Afresh-faced challenger hailed a new dawn for Turkish democracy, as the president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, comforted a defeated crowd outside his party's headquarters, telling them:

- Ruth Michaelson 

"Unfortunately we couldn't get the result we wanted... everything happens for a reason."

Supporters of Istanbul's mayor celebrated long into the night after Ekrem İmamoğlu secured a second term in office, as Turkey's main opposition party swept to victory in local elections.

The entire evening offered the Republican People's party (CHP) a glimpse of a possible future, far surpassing expectations among its supporters.

Social media filled up with celebratory memes and people piled into cars and took to the streets across Istanbul to blare music, and in some cases tear down posters of the Istanbul mayoral candidate from Erdoğan's party.

For many, the wave of opposition success was also a window into what might have been had the CHP selected İmamoğlu as its candidate in presidential elections last year.

In that race, the opposition forced Erdoğan to a run-off vote amid financial turmoil and disastrous twin earthquakes that killed more than 50,000 people. Ultimately, however, Erdoğan claimed both the presidency and a large parliamentary majority, carrying him into another term.