Municipalities union elects new chair amid heated vote

ANKARA

The umbrella organization for Türkiye’s municipalities has elected Mersin Mayor Vahap Seçer as its new chairperson, while the session also witnessed moments of heightened tension among members.

Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu had been serving as Union of Municipalities of Türkiye (TBB) president until his arrest in March 2025 on corruption allegations, alongside his municipal duties.

In a bid to select his successor, the TBB on May 2 convened to elect the new president, the executive board of the assembly, members of specialized commissions and the council members in the capital Ankara.

In the vote, 757 out of 864 assembly members cast their ballots. Main opposition Republican People’s Party’s (CHP) Mersin Mayor Seçer was elected with 446 votes, while ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP)’s Kahramanmaraş Mayor Fırat Görgel received 311 votes.

Seçer will serve in this role until the next local elections scheduled for 2029.

During the voting process, CHP members sought to read out a letter sent from prison by İmamoğlu.

However, objections arose from AKP benches against the reading of the letter. As the letter was being read aloud, some AKP members stood up and moved toward the podium, intervening in the process.

Subsequently, a scuffle broke out between CHP and AKP representatives.

The election took place amid a period in which several CHP-run municipalities and mayors faced judicial investigations and arrests. The CHP argues that these detentions are politically motivated and aimed at pressuring the opposition, a claim rejected by the government.