1 , 3 5 1 ▁district ▁municipal ▁may ors , ▁alongside ▁ 1 , 2 5 1 ▁provincial ▁and ▁ 2 0 , 5 0 0 ▁municipal ▁coun c ill ors ▁were ▁elected , ▁in ▁addition ▁to ▁numerous ▁local ▁non - part isan ▁positions ▁such ▁as ▁neighbourhood ▁w ard ens ▁( mu ht ars ) ▁and ▁elder ly ▁people ' s ▁coun c ils . ▁ ▁The ▁gover ning ▁Justice ▁and ▁Development ▁Party ▁( AK P ) ▁and ▁the ▁National ist ▁Mov ement ▁Party ▁( M HP ) ▁cont ested ▁the ▁elections ▁in ▁many ▁provinces ▁under ▁a ▁joint ▁People ' s ▁Alliance . ▁Like wise , ▁the ▁Republican ▁People ' s ▁Party ▁( CH P ) ▁and ▁the ▁ İ Y İ ▁Party ▁entered ▁some ▁of ▁the ▁races ▁under ▁the ▁Nation ▁Alliance ▁b anner . ▁The ▁Pe op les ' ▁Democratic ▁Party ▁( H DP ) ▁did ▁not ▁open ly ▁announ ce ▁support ▁for ▁either ▁al liance , ▁but ▁did ▁not ▁field ▁candidates ▁in ▁some ▁areas ▁to ▁improve ▁ch ances ▁of ▁opposition ▁candidates . ▁ ▁Camp aign ing ▁was ▁described ▁as ▁distinct ly ▁negative ▁and ▁divis ive , ▁with ▁the ▁opposition ▁critic ising ▁the ▁government ▁for ▁Turkey ' s ▁economic ▁dow nt urn , ▁mis use ▁of ▁public ▁funds ▁and ▁cor ruption . ▁In ▁response , ▁the ▁government ▁alleg ed ▁that ▁the ▁opposition ▁parties ▁were ▁acting ▁in ▁the ▁interests ▁of ▁' fore ign ▁powers ▁and ▁terror ists '. ▁Part icular ▁controvers y ▁surrounded ▁the ▁A K P ' s ▁alleg ations ▁of ▁financial