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Journalist claims Istanbul municipality could change hands from CHP to AKP amid party crisis
๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท Turkey /Elections & Politics

Journalist claims Istanbul municipality could change hands from CHP to AKP amid party crisis

From Cumhuriyet · () Turkish

Translated from Turkish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • A journalist claims that a crisis within the Republican People's Party (CHP) could lead to Istanbul's municipality falling into the hands of the AKP.
  • The claim suggests that if Istanbul Mayor Ekrem ฤฐmamoฤŸlu is banned from politics due to a court ruling, a new mayoral election could result in a different outcome.
  • A CHP-affiliated journalist countered that the party will not lose the Istanbul municipality, with potential cooperation with a new party to prevent it.

A critical claim suggests that internal party strife within Turkey's Republican People's Party (CHP) could pave the way for the opposition Justice and Development Party (AKP) to regain control of Istanbul's municipality. The assertion was made by journalist Aytunรง Erkin on the TV program "Buket Aydฤฑn ile DoฤŸrudan."

There is a high probability of a different outcome.

โ€” Aytunรง ErkinSuggesting that a mayoral election following Ekrem ฤฐmamoฤŸlu's potential ban could lead to a change in leadership.

Erkin highlighted the presence of 185 CHP council members in the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Council, noting that approximately 40 of them are considered close to former CHP leader Kemal KฤฑlฤฑรงdaroฤŸlu. He posited that if Istanbul Mayor Ekrem ฤฐmamoฤŸlu faces a political ban following the affirmation of his conviction in the "Ahmak Davasฤฑ" (Fool Case) by the Court of Cassation, a mayoral election would be held within the council. Erkin suggested that this scenario carries a high probability of a different outcome, implying a potential shift in power.

However, journalist BarฤฑลŸ YarkadaลŸ, known for his proximity to the current CHP leadership, dismissed these concerns. He acknowledged that some within the CHP and a newly formed party share these anxieties. YarkadaลŸ stated that a meeting was held in Istanbul on July 26 to discuss preventing the loss of the municipality. He asserted that the Istanbul municipality will not be lost to the AKP under any circumstances and indicated that the new party and CHP might find common ground to ensure this outcome.

This concern exists among members of the NEW Party and the CHP. Therefore, Ekrem ฤฐmamoฤŸlu also intervened in this discussion.

โ€” BarฤฑลŸ YarkadaลŸAcknowledging anxieties within the parties regarding the potential loss of the Istanbul municipality.

Erkin's claim taps into ongoing political tensions within the CHP, particularly following the party's recent leadership crisis and its performance in local elections. The potential impact of ฤฐmamoฤŸlu's legal challenges on the city's governance remains a significant point of political speculation.

The Istanbul municipality will not be lost to the AKP under any circumstances.

โ€” BarฤฑลŸ YarkadaลŸAsserting that the CHP will prevent the AKP from regaining control of Istanbul.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Cumhuriyet in Turkish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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