Celebrations In Ağrı Following BDP Election Victory

(ANF/Ağrı) According to preliminary results the BDP has won a clear victory in the Ağrı municipal elections. BDP supporters around the city have taken to the streets in celebration.

The voting followed a disputed election in March 30th, in which the AKP narrowly defeated the BDP. However courts later ordered the re election to be reheld amid widespread allegations of election fraud.

Vote counting has now come to an end in the province, where there are 59,465 registered voters and 197 polling places. According to the initial count, the BDP possesses a clear lead.

With 99.49% of votes reported, the BDP is 5 thousand votes ahead of the AKP, its closest rival. According to these initial results the BDP has won 23,238 votes (50.97%) while the AKP won 20,690 (45.381%).

Other parties fared less well, with  the SP 670 votes, the MHP 156, the BTP 138, the CHP 71, the Hüda-Par 48 and the Hak-Par 25.

Thousands of people poured onto the streets in celebration as news of the BDP’s victory came to light, ignoring the large police presence in the city as they made their way to the city’s Republican Square. BDP supporters chanted slogans luke “Biji BDP” (Long Live The BDP) and “Biji Serok Apo” (Long Live President Apo), set of fireworks, and beeped their car horns as they gathered in the city center.

Every Party Lost Votes Except For The BDP

With the exception of the BDP every party lost votes in this election. According to official results from the March 30th election the BDP narrowly lost to the AKP, taking 20,551 (44.55%) votes to the AKP’s 20,577 (45.76%). The SP won 1.305 (2.9%), the MHP 840 (1.87%), HÜDA PAR 631 (1.4%), the BTP 398 (0.89%), the CHP 363 (%0.81), the HAK-PAR 137 (%0.3).

Erdoğan Attacks BDP And Women In Last Rally

Turkish PM Erdoğan’s last rally in Ağrı before the June 1st election was only attended by around 3 thousand people. Erdoğan attacked the BDP and accused them of keeping their women shut up in their homes, saying ‘they are locking up are sisters at home. They do not let them go vote. Because they know that if our sisters go the polls then the results will be different. But I believe that our sisters will overcome this obstacle. I am expecting a separate push from them. The castle is conquered from within.”

The election victory comes on the same day as another BDP victory in Norşîn (Turkish: Güroymak) in Bitlis Province.