Turkey’s Supreme Electoral Council today annulled the results of local elections in Istanbul, where President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) suffered a historic defeat just over a month ago.
Why it matters: The council’s decision marks a watershed moment for the Turkish republic by shaking millions of voters’ trust in the electoral process. Domestic and international critics have long accused Erdogan of undermining the country's democratic institutions, saying he and the AKP have been steadily descending into authoritarianism.
