Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavaş
Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavaş’s unexpected meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has fueled fresh debate over his political trajectory, highlighting deep divisions among social democrat opposition groups.
The meeting took place late on Sept. 9 and was officialized by the Communications Directorate. It was their first one-on-one encounter since 2020, drawing intense political scrutiny as Yavaş remains a prominent prospective candidate for the next presidential election.
Speaking right after the meeting, Yavaş stressed that his visit aimed to inform Erdoğan about ongoing municipal projects in the capital, particularly major transportation developments.
“We expressed our gratitude for their support and contributions to the investments as well as their commitment to holding the NATO Summit in Ankara. We also shared our evaluations regarding the ongoing projects conducted by the Ankara Municipality and the investments we plan to implement in the upcoming period,” he said.
However, following media reports and speculation over his meeting with Erdoğan, Yavaş issued a more detailed statement on Sept. 10, denying rumors that he intended to join the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).
Repeating that the sole agenda of his meeting with the president was Ankara, Yavaş said, “I want to clearly address those who are trying to produce political results or scenarios that I will move to another party: It is absolutely out of the question for me to adopt a stance that would hurt, offend, or disappoint the people who love me, trust me, and have stood by me for years.”
Although Yavaş remains a member of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), he is politically aligned with the main opposition New Party and its chairman, Özgür Özel. The Ankara mayor stated that he had informed both Özel and CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu in advance about his meeting with Erdoğan.
Meanwhile, Özel confirmed that Yavaş informed him before the meeting took place. “He had asked for an appointment with the president to discuss some investments in Ankara. He told me this earlier. We have no doubt about him,” Özel said.
