Istanbul is Turkey, Turkey is Istanbul

President Recep Tayip Erdoğan underlined the importance of Istanbul at the Yenikapı rally ahead of the referendum. "Istanbul is Turkey and Turkey is Istanbul," he said.

"Istanbul should say 'yes' in such a way that everyone with a bad view of Turkey, including those who dirtied this city 99 years ago with their feet, should tremble," he added.

At the end of the day, the result of the referendum was registered as another electoral victory for Erdoğan. But it is significant that he could not get the support he hoped for from Istanbul, which he has described as "a city that harbors 20 percent of our population."

The meaning beyond numbers

From the political perspective Istanbul clearly carries a meaning beyond numbers.

Neither Erdoğan nor his policies have ever been left behind in a race in Istanbul since he was first elected Istanbul mayor almost a quarter of a century ago in March 1994, with 25.9 percent of the vote. 

Some may think the 51.35 percent "no" vote in Istanbul may not carry much significance, as the overall referendum resulted in a "yes" vote.

But those who have any idea of Erdoğan's style of politics will confess that the Istanbul result has some consequences.

In 2011 he won 49.8 percent. In the presidential election of 2014 he won 49.84 percent, and in November 2015 he won 48.92 percent of the votes in Istanbul. Now some will definitely have to pay the price for the fact that he came out of the April 16 referendum race with just 48.85 percent in Istanbul, despite support given by the Nationalist Movement Party and the ultranationalist Grand Union Party (BBP). 

One can trace the cost I'm talking about in an article penned by presidential advisor İlnur Çevik...