On Sunday, Istanbul was energized by tens of thousands of opposition supporters who gathered to celebrate Ekrem Imamoglu’s re-election as mayor. This event marked a significant defeat for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling party, echoing Imamoglu’s initial 2019 victory. The celebration was highlighted by the lighting of torches and the waving of Turkish flags, a reaction to partial local election results indicating a dip in government support amidst nearly 70 percent inflation.