Turkish opposition on the rise after election success. Erdogan's AKP achieved a historically poor result in the vote.
For the first time since its founding in 2002, it became only the second strongest party in the country in an election. Governing large cities can be an opportunity for the opposition to raise its own profile - especially in a country where the media is largely state-controlled. Istanbul, the country's economic and cultural heart, is seen as a springboard for Erdogan's political rise.