09.02.2026 20:10
Keçiören Mayor Mesut Özarslan continues to be a topic of discussion following his resignation from the CHP; moments when Özarslan asked a child who previously said, "Can you make my dad a municipal officer?" with "Does your dad take bribes?" have resurfaced. Following the renewed attention on these images, Özarslan has become the focal point of reactions.
The dialogue that Keçiören Mayor Mesut Özarslan had with a child who previously asked for a job for his father has come back into the spotlight following his resignation from the Republican People's Party (CHP).
"DOES YOUR DAD TAKE BRIBES?"
In the footage that has resurfaced on social media, a small child is seen asking Özarslan, "Can you make my dad a municipal officer?" to which Özarslan responded, "Does your dad take bribes? Does your dad commit theft?"
BACKLASH FOLLOWED
After the resurfacing of the footage, Özarslan became the center of backlash. Many social media users expressed their discontent towards Özarslan.
WHAT HAPPENED?
Keçiören Mayor Mesut Özarslan resigned from the Republican People's Party yesterday, making serious allegations against CHP Chairman Özgür Özel in his resignation statement.
Özarslan claimed that Özgür Özel insulted him and stated: "These messages contain insults, threats, and slanders that are incompatible with political courtesy, party ethics, public responsibility, and humanity. I ask; does a party leader insult a mayor? Does a party leader target family values and insult? Does a party leader threaten with unspeakable words?
Especially in the face of messages that involve my family values and even my sacred being, my mother and my late father; with the condition that my respect and love for the voters of the Republican People's Party remain intact, it is out of the question for me to serve within the ranks of the Republican People's Party any longer," he stated.
Özarslan also announced that he would submit Özel's messages to the prosecutor's office.