▁ İ z mir , ▁Turkey ' s ▁third ▁largest ▁city , ▁and ▁now ▁gover ns ▁ 5 ▁of ▁Turkey ' s ▁ 6 ▁largest ▁population ▁cent res ▁( the ▁only ▁exception ▁being ▁B urs a , ▁where ▁the ▁gover ning ▁coal ition ▁narrow ly ▁won ). ▁The ▁Commun ist ▁Party ▁won ▁control ▁of ▁a ▁provincial ▁capital , ▁namely ▁Tun cel i , ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time . ▁In ▁provinces ▁where ▁the ▁A K P ▁and ▁M HP ▁cont ested ▁as ▁separate ▁parties , ▁there ▁was ▁a ▁substantial ▁swing ▁from ▁A K P ▁candidates ▁to ▁the ▁M HP . ▁Nevertheless , ▁A K P ▁leader ▁and ▁President ▁Re cep ▁T ay y ip ▁Er do ğ an ▁claimed ▁victory , ▁announ cing ▁that ▁the ▁People ' s ▁Alliance ▁had ▁secured ▁ 5 1 . 6 7 % ▁of ▁the ▁vote ▁and ▁thus ▁maintained ▁support ▁from ▁the ▁majority ▁of ▁the ▁elect or ate . ▁ ▁The ▁election ▁was ▁bes et ▁by ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁controvers ies , ▁including ▁an ▁un exp la ined ▁results ▁black out ▁on ▁election ▁night ▁just ▁when ▁the ▁opposition ▁were ▁on ▁the ▁ver ge ▁of ▁victory ▁in ▁Ist an bul . ▁The ▁Ist an bul ▁mayor al ▁election , ▁where ▁C HP ▁candidate ▁Ek rem ▁ İ m amo ğ lu ▁defeated ▁A K P ▁candidate ▁and ▁former ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁B inal i ▁Y ı ld ı r ı m ▁by ▁just ▁under ▁ 1 4 , 0 0 0 ▁votes ▁( 0 . 1 7 % ), ▁remained ▁disput