Turkish President Vows to Confront Party Members after Election Loss

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has vowed to confront opponents in his Justice and Development (AK) Party weeks after it lost municipal elections in the capital Ankara and in Istanbul, the country’s largest city. “While we’re fighting outside, I have to say, we had people doing us wrong from the inside too,” Erdogan reportedly said during a speech at an AK Party retreat. “We know it all…. For the future of this organization, we will call them to account. We’re not going to carry them on our backs.” Erdogan and some fellow party members have also attributed the losses to election fraud and have called for recounts. Initial results of the March 31 local elections showed the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) winning both Ankara and Istanbul. The latter was a particularly significant blow to Erdogan, who began his political career there and served as mayor.