Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s party loses in local elections in Istanbul and Ankara, Turkiye’s largest cities, reports Reuters. According to preliminary vote counts, incumbent Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu is ahead of his rival from the president’s party. After opening 41.43% of the ballot boxes, Imamoglu received 50% of the support, compared to 41.26% for Murat Kurum, a former minister in Erdogan’s national government. “Based on the data we have gathered, I can say that the favour and trust our citizens have in us have indeed been demonstrated. The current picture greatly pleases u…