Setback For Erdogan's AKP Party In Turkey's Local Elections

Final tallies have shows that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's conservative AKP party has lost control of Istanbul. This comes on top of its defeat in the capital Ankara and it marks a major political setback for Erdogan who has dominated Turkish politics since he became prime minister in 2003.

His party has also lost control of the industrial city of Adana, Antalya and several important economic cities along Turkey's southern coast. Erdogan did not contest the election of course but he did knowing how important local elections can prove in the long-run, he campaigned vigorously all over the country.

Many are viewing the local elections as a referendum on how the president is handling a period of economic difficulty for the country. Turkey is now facing recession for the first time since Erdogan entered office. Inflation is at 20 percent which has seen the cost of living soar while unemployment is also rising steadily. The following infographic is based on data reported by the Financial Times and shows the state of the Turkish political landscape in the wake of Sunday's elections. The number of provinces controlled by Erdogan's AKP has fallen from 48 in 2014 to 39 today.