Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) has maintained its control over Istanbul’s Bayrampaşa district following a special election held by the district council Sunday (September 21). This surprising development comes after the CHP’s previous district mayor Hasan Mutlu was detained in a recent corruption probe.
 |
| Turkey: opposition maintains hold on district despite arrest of mayor Turkey: opposition maintains hold on district despite arrest of mayor Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) has maintained its control over Istanbul’s Bayrampaşa district following a special election held by the district council Sunday (September 21). This surprising development comes after the CHP’s previous district mayor Hasan Mutlu was detained in a recent corruption probe. After four rounds of voting failed to produce a winning candidate, the CHP’s İbrahim Kahraman was selected in a lottery draw in a surprise development despite expectations that the party would lose control of the district. Following Turkey’s March 2024 local elections, the CHP controlled Bayrampaşa’s 37-seat district council with a commanding 22-seat majority. However, numerous party resignations amidst an ongoing crackdown on the CHP had reduced the party’s seat count to only 18, one fewer than the 19 seats occupied by a combination of President Erdoğan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), their main coalition partner Nationalist Action Party (MHP), and independent council members. The most recent resignation in Bayrampaşa had occurred just last Tuesday (September 16), when district council member Kerem Güler announced he was renouncing his CHP membership and stepping down from the district council. Defections from the CHP have become more frequent in recent months, with some even switching their party membership to the AKP. Since the ouster and detention of Hasan Mutlu, coupled with the CHP’s loss of outright majority in the district council, the party’s loss of control in Bayrampaşa had been viewed as an inevitability. Özel praises result CHP chairman Özgür Özel praised Sunday’s result in Bayrampaşa, saying. “The will of the people of Bayrampaşa was already the CHP. Even if it was accomplished with a lottery draw, we can say that justice has been served.” |
After four rounds of voting failed to produce a winning candidate, the CHP’s İbrahim Kahraman was selected in a lottery draw in a surprise development despite expectations that the party would lose control of the district.
Following Turkey’s March 2024 local elections, the CHP controlled Bayrampaşa’s 37-seat district council with a commanding 22-seat majority. However, numerous party resignations amidst an ongoing crackdown on the CHP had reduced the party’s seat count to only 18, one fewer than the 19 seats occupied by a combination of President Erdoğan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), their main coalition partner Nationalist Action Party (MHP), and independent council members.
The most recent resignation in Bayrampaşa had occurred just last Tuesday (September 16), when district council member Kerem Güler announced he was renouncing his CHP membership and stepping down from the district council.
Defections from the CHP have become more frequent in recent months, with some even switching their party membership to the AKP.
Since the ouster and detention of Hasan Mutlu, coupled with the CHP’s loss of outright majority in the district council, the party’s loss of control in Bayrampaşa had been viewed as an inevitability.
Medyascope'u destekle. Medyascope'a abone ol.
Medyascope’u senin desteğin ayakta tutuyor. Hiçbir patronun, siyasi çıkarın güdümünde değiliz; hangi haberi yapacağımıza biz karar veriyoruz. Tıklanma uğruna değil, kamu yararına çalışıyoruz. Bağımsız gazeteciliğin sürmesi, sitenin açık kalması ve herkesin doğru bilgiye erişebilmesi senin desteğinle mümkün.
Özel praises result
CHP chairman Özgür Özel praised Sunday’s result in Bayrampaşa, saying.
“The will of the people of Bayrampaşa was already the CHP. Even if it was accomplished with a lottery draw, we can say that justice has been served.”
Written/translated for Medyascope by Leo Kendrick
