Turkey's Ruling AKP Gains Strength as Opposition Mayors Defect

Divide and Rule: Turkey’s Ruling Party Uses Opposition Defections to Expand Reach

The opposition sees the desertion of some of its mayors and councillors to join Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ruling AKP as part of a government strategy aimed at weakening local resistance and consolidating power.

By Hamdi Firat Buyuk