Politicians headed to polls to vote in Turkey's municipal elections early Sunday, as most of them wished the elections bring happiness to the people while they celebrated democracy.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan cast his ballot in Saffet Çebi Elementary School in Üsküdar district located in Istanbul's Asian side. First Lady Emine Erdoğan, Finance Minister Berat Albayrak and his wife Esra Albayrak accompanied Erdoğan at the polling station.
"I hope we close the ballot boxes in the evening with a high voter turnout," Erdoğan told reporters.
(AA Photo)
The main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu cast his ballot in Çankaya district of Ankara with his wife, Selvi Kılıçdaroğlu.
"I hope our citizens will make their decisions without any negative incidents," the CHP chairman said. "Hopefully the end of March will be spring," he added, voicing one of his party's election slogans.
Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli cast his vote also in Çankaya, telling reporters that "the election was completed in a mature atmosphere."
Responding to a witty question on whether he cast his vote for the first time for a party other than the MHP, Bahçeli said he voted for the People's Alliance.
Ahead of the presidential and parliamentary elections that took place last year, the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and the MHP formed the People's Alliance, which continued for these elections. The alliance received a majority in Parliament, while their presidential candidate, Erdoğan, had won the election with 52.6 percent of the vote.
As part of the alliance, the MHP didn't field its own candidates but rather backed AK Party nominees in three biggest provinces of Turkey: Istanbul, Ankara and İzmir.
Justice and Development Party (AK Party)'s Istanbul mayoral candidate Binali Yıldırım cast his ballot in the city's Tuzla district on the Asian side.
Yıldırım's grandchildren and his wife Semiha Yıldırım accompanied him at the polling station.
"The elections are festivals of democracy," Yıldırım told reporters after casting his ballot, adding that he observed "great interest" at the ballot boxes.
The CHP's Istanbul mayoral candidate Ekrem Imamoğlu cast his ballot in Beylikdüzü district on the European side. His wife Dilek Imamoğlu accompanied him at the ballot box.
Imamoğlu and his wife Dilek Imamoğlu cast their ballots at Haldun Taner Elementary School in Istanbul's Beylikdüzü district (DHA Photo)
"This is the final day, but at the same time, the day for a new beginning," İmamoğlu said, wishing for a high turnout in Turkey's cultural and commercial capital.
The Nation Alliance consists of the Republican People's Party (CHP) and the Good Party (IP).
AK Party's mayoral candidate for Ankara Mehmet Özhaseki cast his ballot in the capital. His wife Neşe Özhaseki and daughter Zeynep Özhaseki accompanied him during voting in Yenimahalle district.
"Everyone should respect the outcome," Özhaseki told reporters.
CHP's mayoral candidate Mansur Yavaş also voted in the capital. with his wife and daughter. "The voters' will is the highest decree," Yavaş said after he cast his vote.
In the western province of İzmir, a CHP stronghold, the AK Party's candidate Nihat Zeybekci cast his ballot in the Bornova district. Zeybekci told reporters that the will of the people will decide the future of İzmir, as he noted that they will respect the decision of the voters.
Nihat Zeybekci casts his ballot in Bornova Şehit Polis Mehmet Çelik Middle School in Izmir province (IHA Photo)
Zeybekci told reporters that the will of the people will decide the future of Izmir, as he noted they will respect the decision of the voters.
CHP's Izmir mayoral candidate Tunç Soyer cast his ballot in Seferihisar district. "All elections are tests for democracy," the CHP candidate said.
Tunç Soyer casts his ballot at 80. Yıl Elementary School in Izmir (AA Photo)
Vice President Fuat Oktay also cast his ballot in the capital Ankara, as he emphasized that the turnout in Turkey has always been high.
VP Fuat Oktay casts his ballot in Ankara (AA Photo).