Voters mysteriously added, subtracted for Istanbul election rerun
While Ankara lawyers express their disappointment that the government rescinded the results of the Istanbul mayoral election, voters are mysteriously added to and subtracted from the electoral roll for the June 23 do-over, even though the roll is supposed to remain the same as for the March 31 election.
ANKARA, Turkey — A long black banner flaps in the wind down the side of the building of the Bar Association here. Its message expresses what lawyers in Turkey’s capital think of the decision to cancel the Istanbul mayor’s election: “Hukuksuzluğun tam da karşısındayız!” (We are totally opposed to lawlessness!)
This shows how the eyes of the nation’s capital are turned toward a city 500 kilometers (300 miles) down the road.
Across town, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan broke his Ramadan fast with the legislators of his Justice and Development Party in the party headquarters. He urged them to “give their all” for the new mayoral election in Istanbul.
“Every one of our lawmakers should call their fellow citizens in Istanbul and ask them to support our candidate,” he said.
