Municipal elections in Turkey: Gladiators in Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir

It was 2019, when Erem Imamoglu brought a heavy blow to Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in her , gaining control of Istanbul. Recep Tayyip Erdogan “lost” his city of origin, after 25 years of government from the AKP and its Islamist predecessors. Five years later, the president of Turkey, who was mayor of Istanbul from 1994 to 1998, seeks to… retake the City, but also Ankara, in derby with CHP candidates in this municipal election. For his part, the new leader of the main opposition, Ozgiur Ozel, will have his first major test, in the municipal elections. Ozgiur Ozel was the “right hand” of the outgoing president, Kemal Kilicdaroglou, who alienated many by his decision to set aside the all-popular mayor of Smyrna, Tuds Soyer, and to lower another candidate for the stronghold of secular Turkey, a man he considers more “his own”, Jemil Tugai. Istanbul Fifty-two candidates will claim the mayorship of Istanbul, but the derby of Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Murat Kurum, is given, against Erem Imamoglu, who is claiming his re-election. Murat Kurum: Erdoğan’s chosen for “Constantino again” With the slogan “Constantino again”, Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, presented his chosen AKP, Murat Kurum. Murat Kurum served as Minister for Environment and Urbanization in 2018 – 2023 and is therefore credited with the programme of rapid reconstruction of the areas affected by the earthquakes of 6 February 2023, in eastern Turkey. His experience in rebuilding urban areas and urban regeneration programs implemented in the previous period by the government is predicted to be the comparative advantage of the ruling AKP (Communist Justice and Development) for the armoring of Istanbul, against the great earthquake predicted by seismologists. Erem Imamoglu with his… favorite air Erem Imamoglu has been starring for some years as the ultimate favourite for the leadership of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), but also for Turkey’s presidency. However, the “National Alliance” that prompted him to win in Istanbul, in 2019, has since collapsed, as his nationalist and pro-court allies lower their own candidates in the municipal elections in Turkey: This is the pro-Kurdish DEM party and the nationalist Good Party (Iyi Parti) – which wants to… absorb the body of extreme nationalist voters and grey Wolves. Ankara Turgut Altinoc: Of the “Green Wolves” in AKP Turgut Altinok (Turgut Altinok) is the other “chosen” candidate of Recep Tayyip Erdogan for the position of mayor Ankara. The Turkish president chose a supranational candidate with also far-right payments, such as the current mayor, Mansur Yavas, of the main opposition. Altinoc began his political life by the “Griss Wolves” or “Idealists’ Housing”. He was elected mayor of Kechioren in the 2004 municipal election with the ruling AKP party and was re-elected mayor of Kechioren in the last municipal election held on March 31, 2019. The award-winning and highly popular Mansour Yavas Mansur Yavaş is currently the mayor of Ankara and holds the post as of April 2019. According to the research company Piar, Yavas had a rating of 73.2% in 2020, greater than the mayor of Istanbul, Erem Imamoglu, but also the highest of the mayors involved in the poll. It also holds the highest acceptance rate by any Turkish politician with 61% and in 2021 won the Capital Mayor’s World Award. Izmir Hamza Dag: Former AKP MP who wants to be mayor Hamza Dağ is the AKP candidate for the municipality of Smyrna. He was a member of the board and vice president of the local organization of AKR Smyrna, and was subsequently elected president of the ruling party’s youth in 2008. In 2011, Doug was elected MP Smyrna and was re-elected in all three subsequent parliamentary elections. During his parliamentary term, he served as a member of the Human Rights Investigation Committee and the Plan and Budget Committee. Since 24 March 2021, he has served as deputy president responsible for Communication and Media. Jemil Tugai: Plastic surgeon from Van Cemil Tugay (Cemil Tugay) was born in Van and graduated from the University of the Aegean School of Medicine in 1989. He then specialized in plastic surgery. He began working as a freelancer in 2009 and closed his practice, after being elected mayor, while a year later he became a CHP member.