Justice and Development (AK) Party's mayoral candidate for Istanbul Murat Kurum (C,R) leaves the polling station with and his wife Sengul Kurum (2nd L) after casting his ballot for the municipal elections in Istanbul on March 31, 2024. Turkish citizens head to the polls on March 31, 2024, in local elections as the President sets his sights on winning back Istanbul, the country's economic powerhouse, after he was re-elected head of state in a tight contest last year. The latest elections come in the throes of an economic crisis that saw the inflation rate surge to 67.1 percent and the Turkish currency crumble against dollar. (Photo by KEMAL ASLAN / AFP)