By Busra Nur Bilgic</p> <p> </p> <p>ANKARA (AA) – Turkey’s foreign minister said on Monday that everyone should respect the results of the local elections held in his country on Sunday and hailed Turkey’s democracy. </p> <p> </p> <p>"The Turkish people voted for the country's survival and stability," Mevlut Cavusoglu told a joint news conference alongside his Venezuelan counterpart Jorge Arreaza in Ankara, Turkey's capital.</p> <p> </p> <p>"The ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party won the election by a landslide. Even in the eastern and southeastern cities considered bastions of the HDP," he said in reference to the opposition Peoples’ Democratic Party.</p> <p> </p> <p>"There were also various constituencies where [the ruling Justice and Development] AK Party lost the ballot, including my hometown of Antalya. </p> <p> </p> <p>"We have to respect the decision of the Turkish people," added Cavusoglu.</p> <p> </p> <p>The AK Party led the local elections, capturing 15 metropolitan municipalities (larger cities) and 24 cities with 44.42 percent of voters, beating the 30.07 percent draw of the main opposition.

