The mayor of Izmir, Turkey's third-largest city and a major opposition stronghold, joined the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) on Wednesday. This transfer is seen as a symbolic victory for President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Reactions in Izmir
The mayor's shift sparked strong reactions in the streets of Izmir. This city, known as a secular region with 4.5 million inhabitants, witnessed public expressions of discontent. A 52-year-old resident named Kadir Ozturk said, "If I were his mother, I couldn't face the people. He should divorce his wife. A person must have principles."
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Others, including Farhad Kasaba, the owner of an insurance company, criticized the mayor's shift, likening it to vote theft. These individuals believe that those who have been elected by the free will of the people and now join another party are, in fact, betraying their own people.
Political Situation and Pressures
The mayor's connection to the AKP comes at a time when the Turkish opposition is facing increasing pressures. In the past six months, several opposition mayors and elected officials have been arrested on political charges. Among them, Istanbul's mayor, Ekrem İmamoğlu, and 29 other mayors, 13 of whom are from Istanbul, have been imprisoned.
Political analysts view these changes as part of the AKP's strategy to regain power in cities where it suffered significant losses in the 2024 local elections. Berk Esen, a political analyst, described this transfer as "an important development" in Izmir, which has been a major opposition stronghold for nearly three decades.
However, estimates suggest that political changes in this city are occurring due to fears of repression and judicial threats. Esen emphasized that many opposition mayors have joined the ruling party out of fear of legal prosecution.
The mayor's transfer from Izmir generally helps increase the AKP's influence in the city, although the municipal council remains under opposition control. This transfer has also led to the resignation of several cultural figures in protest against the mayor's decision.
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