Erdogan names candidates for March election. Former minister to challenge opposition Istanbul mayor

ISTANBUL (AP) — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has named several of his party’s candidates for March’s nationwide election. The ruling party will try to recover cities lost to the opposition’s Republican People’s Party, or CHP, five years ago —  including the country’s largest city, Istanbul, and the capital, Ankara. Erdogan said parliamentarian and former Environment and Urbanization Minister Murat Kurum will challenge Ekrem Imamoglu, the opposition mayor of Istanbul, who has become nationally recognized. Many had expected Imamoglu to stand against Erdogan in last year’s presidential election. The Turkish president also named candidates for 10 other metropolitan cities and 15 provinces. Further nominations are expected in the coming weeks.