Why big cities will ultimately prevail

The urban-rural divide is often attributed to globalisation's winners living in cities

The growing divide between urbanites and rural residents is shaping politics everywhere, from Brexit to the rise of Donald Trump. Last Sunday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan received a mandate for more personalised rule from most of his country, but not from its big cities. Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir are responsible for about 46 per cent of Turkey’s economic output and just 23 per cent of its population. All three cities voted against the perpetuation of Erdogan’s emergency powers, which made Turkey a strong presidential republic. Like U.S. presidents, Erdogan will be able to form cabinets and nominate top judges