Two former heavyweights of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling party have criticized a decision to re-run the Istanbul mayoral election, expressing concern the decision would damage the state’s reputation.

They have added their voices to a chorus of criticism from abroad.

Former prime minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Tuesday said the decision to annul the results of the March 31 election, which was won by the main opposition, “caused damage to one of our fundamental values”.

“The biggest loss for political movements is not losing elections but the loss of moral superiority and social conscience,” he wrote on Twitter.

Source: AFP