In a surprising political development, the mayor of Izmir, Turkey's third-largest city and a stronghold of opposition, has switched allegiance to the ruling AKP party. This move was publicly praised by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The shift comes amid a backdrop of increased pressure on the opposition, which is facing a wave of politically motivated arrests and legal actions targeting its officials.
Cemil Tugay's decision to join the Justice and Development Party (AKP) was announced by Erdoğan during a parliamentary meeting in Ankara, which was broadcasted live. Erdoğan welcomed Tugay with a party pin, signaling his new affiliation.
The announcement has sparked significant backlash in Izmir, a secular city on Turkey's Aegean coast with a population of 4.5 million. Residents expressed their dismay and disappointment. One local, Kadir Öztürk, criticized Tugay harshly, reflecting the sentiment of betrayal felt by many. Tugay had previously assured in January that he would never switch to the AKP, even stating that his mother would disown him and his wife would leave him if he did.
Taking control of Izmir's mayorship is a significant victory for Erdoğan, even though the opposition still holds a majority on the city council. The city had been under social democratic governance since 1999. The CHP, a centre-left party, secured a decisive win in the March 2024 local elections. However, it has since faced mounting intimidation efforts. Six provincial CHP mayors, including Istanbul's Ekrem İmamoğlu, have been arrested, and 29 district mayors have been detained, according to reports from the independent Diken news website.
The trend of defections to the AKP has been growing, with at least 17 opposition mayors switching sides before Tugay, as reported by Medyascope. Political analyst Berk Esen suggests that these defections are part of the AKP's strategy to overturn its defeat in the 2024 local elections through coercion.
Tugay became mayor in April 2024 following the CHP's local election win but resigned from the party in June after a controversial court decision replaced its leadership. The former CHP leader, Özgür Özel, subsequently founded the Yeni party, becoming the main opposition with 90 lawmakers. Tugay stated he would remain independent, fueling speculation about his intentions to defect.
Özel has spoken out against the intense pressure campaign targeting Izmir's officials, labeling those who succumb to it as traitors. He emphasized solidarity with those who resist such pressures.
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