Rival camps claim early lead in Turkey’s high-stakes elections

Ekrem Imamoglu, main opposition CHP’s Istanbul mayor, has slammed state-run Anadolu Agency for manipulating the results.

In a joint statement with Mansur Yavas, the mayor of Ankara, Imamoglu said that Kilicdaroglu was ahead in the race, according to their party’s data.

Imamoglu said: “We are experiencing another Anadolu Agency case. The agency’s reputation is below zero. They should not be trusted. Anadolu’s data is null and void.”

He cited similar actions by the agency in past elections.

Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavas, who like Imamoglu, took office in 2019, ending 25 years of control by the AK Party or its predecessors, also took aim at Anadolu.

“They mislead our nation by running the ballot boxes that work for them,” he said. “They do not feel ashamed either. They have no credibility … According to the data we have, our President Kemal Kilicdaroglu is ahead.”