AKP takes İzmir district after opposition split

İZMİR

The entrance of the Menderes Municipality building in İzmir.

The ruling bloc’s candidate Asuman Şen was elected acting mayor of the western city of İzmir’s Menderes district on Aug. 17 after opposition parties failed to unite behind a single candidate following the arrest and removal of the elected mayor.

A ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) candidate, Şen received 15 votes in the fourth round of voting, defeating New Party candidate Barış Gürsoy with 12 votes. The first three rounds failed to produce a candidate with the required majority.

The vote followed the detention and subsequent removal from office of Menderes Mayor İlkay Çiçek, a member of the Republican People’s Part (CHP), amid a corruption investigation.

The opposition entered the Aug. 17 vote divided. New Party nominated Gürsoy, while the CHP nominated Mehmet Ali Akar. Their split allowed the ruling bloc to secure the acting mayoralty despite not holding a majority of the 31-member council.

The CHP won Menderes in the 2024 polls with Çiçek and secured 18 seats on the municipal council, while the ruling bloc held 11 seats. Nine CHP council members subsequently joined New Party, which was established last month by former CHP leader Özgür Özel and dozens of lawmakers.

Three CHP council members were also arrested as part of the corruption investigation. The council includes two independent members.

The change in Menderes comes amid a major restructuring of Türkiye’s opposition with Özel’s departure from the CHP.