All politics are local politics, the saying goes. And Turkey's local elections, held this weekend, were a very good sign for the opposition to President Recep Tayyib Erdogan. Despite a very slanted playing field, opposition parties managed to outcompete Erdogan's conservative Justice and Development Party (AKP) nationwide for the first time in over two decades.

The AKP's loss was something of a surprise. During last year's presidential elections, Erdogan had managed to eke out another four-year term. This time around, Turkish voters clearly rejected AKP rule—which has been marked by censorship, mass purges of political opposition, anti-immigrant fearmongering, and a hefty dose of religious nationalism.

"Unfortunately, we did not achieve the result we hoped for," Erdogan said in a speech conceding the results. He offered his supporters a consolation prize, insisting that "March 31 is not an end for us; it is actually a turning point" and "the real winner of this election is, first of all, our democracy."