23.10.2025 17:51
After the arrest and suspension of Bayrampaşa Mayor Hasan Mutlu due to allegations of 'bribery', 'tender fraud', and 'embezzlement', all eyes turned to the date when a new name would be chosen to take over his position. The Istanbul Governorship announced that the CHP's objection had been rejected and that the canceled election for the Deputy Mayor would be renewed on Sunday, October 26.
The vice-presidential election at Bayrampaşa Municipality will be renewed on Sunday, October 26, 2025.
GOVERNORATE ANNOUNCED THE ELECTION DATE
An announcement regarding the matter came from the Istanbul Governor's Office. The statement indicated that the objection made by the CHP against the decision to suspend the execution of the elections was rejected, and the new election will take place on Sunday, October 26, 2025.
The statement from the governor's office included the following: "By the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office; due to the crimes of bribery, interfering with the tenders of public institutions and organizations, and embezzlement, Bayrampaşa Mayor Hasan MUTLU has been arrested by the decision of the Istanbul 6th Peace Criminal Court dated 16.09.2025 and numbered 2025/1310. The mentioned individual has been suspended from duty by the approval of the Ministry of Interior dated 17.09.2025."
In the Municipal Council Meeting held on September 21, 2025, to elect the Vice Mayor, Council Member İbrahim KAHRAMAN was elected as Vice Mayor. With the decision of the Istanbul 8th Administrative Court dated 09/10/2025 and numbered 2025/1870, a decision to suspend the execution was taken for the council decision dated 21/09/2025 and numbered 2025/78. In the decision of the Istanbul Regional Administrative Court dated 22/10/2025 and numbered 2025/1474, the objection made regarding the decision to suspend the execution was rejected.
In accordance with the provisions of Article 45 of the Municipal Law No. 5393; it has been deemed appropriate by our Governorate for the Bayrampaşa District Municipal Council to convene on Sunday, October 26, 2025, at 18:00 to elect the Vice Mayor."
WHAT HAPPENED?
By the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, in the investigation launched against Bayrampaşa Municipality for the crimes of 'extortion', 'bribery', 'qualified fraud', and 'interfering with the tender', Mayor Hasan Mutlu was arrested by the court and sent to prison. Following this development, Mutlu was also suspended from his position by the Ministry of Interior.
THE VICE MAYOR WAS DETERMINED BY LOTTERY
After Mutlu's suspension, in the election held for the Vice Mayorship of Bayrampaşa Municipality, the CHP candidate İbrahim Kahraman competed against the AK Party candidate İbrahim Akın. The election process was quite competitive, and the votes were tied. In the first round of the election, the AK Party candidate received 19 votes, while the CHP candidate received 18 votes. However, since the required two-thirds majority was not achieved in this round, a second round was held. In the second round, the votes remained tied at 18-18, and one vote was deemed invalid. Due to the continued tie in the third and fourth rounds, the Vice Mayor was determined by a lottery. As a result of the lottery, the CHP candidate İbrahim Kahraman was elected as the Vice Mayor of Bayrampaşa Municipality.
THE AK PARTY HAD FILED A LAWSUIT
In the fourth round of the elections, one vote given to the AK Party candidate Akın was deemed invalid due to a line on the ballot, and the AK Party Group objected, stating that one ballot had "Akın" written first and then crossed out to write "Kahraman," requesting that the ballot counted in favor of the CHP candidate Kahraman be deemed invalid. After the CHP member Kahraman, who chaired the session, did not accept the objection, the AK Party group took their objections to court.
THE COURT HAD ISSUED A STAY OF EXECUTION DECISION
The objection made by the AK Party regarding the voting was accepted, and the Istanbul 8th Administrative Court issued a stay of execution decision for the Bayrampaşa Vice Mayorship elections.
THERE ARE 37 COUNCIL MEMBERS
There are a total of 37 council members in the Bayrampaşa Municipal Council. In the local elections on March 31, 2024, the CHP won 22 council members in Bayrampaşa, while the AK Party won 12, and the MHP won 3 council members. After the latest resignations, the number of CHP members in the municipal council decreased to 18. Thus, against 18 CHP council members, the number of AK Party, MHP, and independent members increased to 19.