President urges unity in wake of local Turkish polls

By Andac Hongur</p> <p>ISTANBUL (AA) – In the wake of last month’s local elections, the Turkish people should seek greater &quot;unity and solidarity&quot; and focus on the nation's pressing issues, said Turkey’s president on Friday.</p> <p>&quot;Leaving the election debates behind, we need to focus on our main agenda, particularly economy and security,&quot; Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a Twitter message on Friday.</p> <p>Erdogan urged &quot;handshaking, embracing each other, and strengthening our unity and solidarity&quot; while maintaining the balance of freedom and security.</p> <p>Erdogan vowed to put into practice the structural reforms that Turkey needs while resolutely countering terrorism.</p> <p>&quot;We 82 million [Turkish people] have to unite and act jointly as a TURKEY ALLIANCE on the issues concerning the future of our country, putting aside all our political differences,&quot; he said, suggesting that election alliances give way to larger ones.</p> <p>Erdogan’s remarks came after Ekrem Imamoglu of the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) this week officially became mayor of Istanbul, Turkey’s largest city, home to some 16 million people.</p> <p>Millions of Turkish voters cast their votes nationwide on March 31 in local elections to choose mayors, city council members, and other officials for the next five years.</p> <p>Despite Imamoglu officially taking office, his election still faces legal challenges from the ruling Justice and Development (AK) party, citing illegalities at the polls.</p> <p> <p>* Writing by Sibel Morrow