Gaziosmanpaşa Municipality shifts to AKP control after arrest of CHP mayor

ISTANBUL

Istanbul’s Gaziosmanpaşa municipal council on June 11 elected a new acting mayor following the arrest of the district’s mayor, shifting control from the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) to the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).

Municipal councils in the CHP-held Istanbul districts of Gaziosmanpaşa, Büyükçekmece and Avcılar held internal elections to appoint acting mayors on June 11 nearly a week after their elected leaders were arrested and suspended from office as part of an ongoing corruption investigation targeting Istanbul Municipality.

Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, several district mayors and top officials have been imprisoned as part of the graft probe.

While CHP candidates Yüksel Can and Ahmet Şahin were elected acting mayors in Avcılar and Büyükçekmece, respectively, maintaining their party’s hold over the municipalities, the outcome in Gaziosmanpaşa marked a notable reversal.

AKP’s Eray Karadeniz secured 21 votes against CHP’s 16 in the district council during the third round of the voting, securing the top role in the administration of Gaziosmanpaşa.

CHP’s Hakan Bahçetepe won the municipality from the AKP with nearly 40 percent of the vote in the 2024 elections.

The shift sparked strong objections from CHP council members, who walked out of the chamber following the vote.

Bahçetepe, who has been arrested since June 4, criticized the development through a statement issued from prison via his lawyers.

“Our municipality was seized not by the will of the people, but through a decision imposed at the table,” Bahçetepe wrote on X.

“I trust in my people. With your support, your prayers and your faith, we will once again stand shoulder to shoulder. Our strength comes not from office, but from the people. Justice may be delayed, but it will prevail.”

Detention warrant against Halk TV owner

Meanwhile, in a related development, Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office issued a detention warrant against the owner of the pro-opposition broadcaster Halk TV on the charges of bid-rigging as part of the same probe.

The warrant against Cafer Mahiroğlu was issued based on the testimony of businessman Aziz İhsan Aktaş, who was released after becoming a cooperating witness in the investigation targeting the municipality.

Mahiroğlu, a Turkish entrepreneur residing in London, denied the allegations in a post on social media platform X.

“I am being targeted based on fabricated lies and slanderous claims made by someone I have never met or even seen in my life,” he wrote, adding that he has been living abroad for the past 35 years.

“It seems there is a price to pay for owning Halk TV — the voice of the people — and for standing up for democracy, justice and the rule of law.”

Mahiroğlu did not say whether he plans to return to Türkiye to face the charges.