Bursa Mayor Mustafa Bozbey was suspended from office on April 4 just after a court jailed him pending trial over a corruption investigation, marking the latest crackdown on the main opposition.
Bozbey from the Republican People’s Party (CHP) faces allegations of “money laundering stemming from criminal activity” and “establishing or being a member of an organization” related to his tenure as mayor of Bursa’s Nilüfer district from 1999 to 2019.
Among the 55 people detained in connection with the investigation are Bozbey’s wife, daughter and two siblings in the operation conducted on March 31.
After a three-day detention, the court jailed him pending trial, with the Interior Ministry subsequently suspending him from the office.
The mayor in one of Türkiye’s main cities slammed the decision, saying, “Bursa does not deserve this.”
“The will and efforts of the people of Bursa have been wronged. Let no one lose hope, we will meet again in freer days,” he posted on social media via his lawyers.
Following his suspension, Bozbey’s replacement will be selected by the municipal council.
However, while the mayoralty in Bursa belongs to the CHP, the council is dominated by members of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). In cases where metropolitan mayors are removed from office, the municipal council convenes to elect an acting mayor. In Bursa, the council majority is held by the AKP with 50 seats, raising the likelihood that the acting mayor will come from the ruling party.
CHP leader Özgür Özel said the operation in Bursa is politically motivated, asserting that the investigation aims precisely at undermining opposition municipalities.
This case is the latest in a series of investigations targeting CHP mayors over the past year, with several opposition municipal leaders, including Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, currently facing detention or trial.
