Mayor of Turkish opposition stronghold defects to Erdoğan’s party amid political crackdown
Cemil Tugay, mayor of Izmir, has defected to Turkey’s governing Justice and Development party, known as the AKP. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced the move at a parliamentary gathering in Ankara.
The decision provoked anger in Izmir, a city of 4.5 million people and a longstanding opposition centre. Tugay had said in January that he would not join the AKP.
His move follows months of pressure on the centre-left Republican People’s party, or CHP, which won the March 2024 local elections. Independent outlet Diken reported that six CHP provincial mayors and 29 district mayors had been arrested.
Political analyst Berk Esen described the defections as part of an effort to counter the AKP’s election defeat through coercion. Tugay became mayor in April 2024 and left the CHP in June, after a disputed court ruling changed the party’s leadership.
CHP leader Özgür Özel has condemned pressure on Izmir officials and criticised those who leave the party. The article gives no further details about Tugay’s next steps in office.
Key points
- Erdoğan announced that Izmir Mayor Cemil Tugay had joined the ruling AKP.
- The move has angered residents in a city long associated with opposition politics.
- The CHP faces arrests and reported pressure after its strong 2024 local election result.