Local elections 'bellwether' of Turkey's future trajectory Turkey is holding local elections Sunday that will decide who gets to control Istanbul and other key cities. The vote is also a barometer of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s popularity as he seeks to win back control of key urban areas he lost to the opposition five years ago. Sunday's elections are seen as a "bellwether on where Turkey is going", FRANCE 24's Jasper Mortimer said, reporting from Ankara.