23.06.2026 12:00
Political backstage continues to experience dynamic days. Two more critical names are being added to the process of mayors resigning from other parties and joining the ranks of the AK Party. It has been learned that Nevşehir Mayor Rasim Arı, elected from the İYİ Party, and Ankara Keçiören Mayor Mesut Özarslan, who resigned from the CHP, will officially join the AK Party on Thursday.
AK Party, which continues to be the address for mayors leaving their parties, is expanding its local government team with two more important names. According to information obtained, Rasim Arı, elected as the Mayor of Nevşehir from the İYİ Party lists, and Mesut Özarslan, the Mayor of Ankara Keçiören who resigned from the Republican People's Party, will join the AK Party ranks with an official ceremony to be held next Thursday.
Mesut Özarslan PRESIDENT ERDOĞAN WILL PIN THE BADGES According to insider information shared by journalist İsmail Saymaz, the transition process of both mayors will be crowned with a ceremony that will make a significant impact. The joining ceremony will be organized within the scope of the Expanded Provincial Chairmen's Meeting to be held at the AK Party Headquarters. At the meeting, both Rasim Arı and Mesut Özarslan will have their political badges pinned directly by President and AK Party Chairman Recep Tayyip Erdoğan himself.
Rasim Arı BALANCES SHIFTING IN LOCAL GOVERNMENTS Both the move regarding Rasim Arı in Nevşehir, one of the critical centers of Central Anatolia, and the participation of Mesut Özarslan, who governs Keçiören, one of Ankara's largest districts, are interpreted as strategic steps that will strengthen AK Party's hand at the local government level. With the ceremony to be held on Thursday, the seat distribution in local governments will officially change.