17.08.2026 13:50
Tensions rose during the deputy mayor election in the Menderes district of Izmir. A dispute among council members quickly turned into a fight. Kicks and punches flew in the air during the brawl.
The deputy mayor election held after Izmir Menderes Mayor İlkay Çiçek was arrested and suspended from duty was marred by incidents. After the votes in the second round were declared invalid, arguments escalated into a fistfight, and the CHP group left the council hall in protest.
NO QUORUM ACHIEVED IN THE FIRST ROUND
In the critical vote held at the Menderes Municipal Council, Asuman Şen ran on behalf of the People's Alliance, Barış Gürsoy for the New Party, Mehmet Ali Akar for CHP, and independent council member Mustafa Öztürk. According to the first-round results, Asuman Şen received 12 votes, Barış Gürsoy 10, Mehmet Ali Akar 5, and Mustafa Öztürk 1. Since no candidate achieved the required quorum to be elected, a second round of voting was held.
INVALID VOTES CAUSED A CRISIS: CHP LEFT THE HALL
In the second round, where tension escalated, the table changed somewhat. As a result of the vote, Asuman Şen received 10 votes, Barış Gürsoy 9, Mehmet Ali Akar 5, and Mustafa Öztürk 1, while three votes were declared invalid. The CHP group, which strongly reacted to the invalidation of the three votes, claimed that the cancelled votes belonged to them. As the objections were inconclusive and tension rose, CHP council members protested the decision and left the council hall. The rest of the process continued without CHP members.
FISTS FLEW IN THE COUNCIL HALL
The political tension, peaking with invalid votes and the walkout, turned into physical violence in the following minutes. After heated arguments, a major brawl broke out in the council hall. The clashes, where both sides grappled and punches were thrown, revealed the level of political tension in Menderes.