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Opposition retakes Istanbul mayor's office to find powers shrinking

As Istanbul’s new Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu retakes office after beating the ruling party's candidate a second time, reports are emerging that his powers and those of other Turkish mayors are already being whittled down.
Ekrem Imamoglu, mayoral candidate of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), greets supporters at a rally of in Beylikduzu district, in Istanbul, Turkey, June 23, 2019. REUTERS/Kemal Aslan - RC144BE506D0

Istanbul’s mayor-elect Ekrem Imamoglu is due to be sworn in tomorrow after his thumping victory in the June 23 redo in what many observers see as a ground-shifting moment in Turkey’s turbulent politics.

Imamoglu invited citizens to attend the ceremony at the city hall on the European side of the city of 16 million via Twitter. “I await you all,” he said.

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