Nothing remains of March 31! Political balances have changed in 37 provinces

22.10.2026 13:31

The political map formed in the March 31, 2024 local elections has changed to a large extent over 30 months through arrests, removals from office, trustee appointments and party changes. In 37 of 81 provinces, the party that won the election is no longer in power. The AK Party, which won 24 provinces in the election, now governs 29, while the CHP, which won 35 provinces, governs only 6. The YENİ Party, founded after splitting from the CHP, is in office in 21 provinces, independent mayors in 5 provinces, and trustees in 6 provinces. Together with districts and towns, the number of municipalities that have passed to the AK Party has reached 112.

Turkey's 'red'-weighted political map, formed by voters' preferences in the March 31, 2024 local elections, has taken on a new appearance after two and a half years. Among the reasons for the map's change in a way never seen in any local election in Turkey's political history are judicial interventions, detentions, dismissals, appointed trustees, and transfers allegedly carried out through blackmail by leaders of opposition parties.

When metropolitan municipalities and provincial central municipalities are examined, it was seen that in 37 of the 81 provinces, the parties governing the municipality changed over the elapsed time for various reasons.

AK Party, which received authorization from voters to govern 24 provinces on March 31, currently governs 29 provinces, while CHP, which was tasked with governing 35 provinces by voters, still governs six provinces. The YENİ Party, founded after splitting from CHP, governs 21 provinces. Five provinces are governed by independent mayors, while in six provinces a trustee is in office. DEM Party, which received authorization from voters to govern 10 provinces, still governs four provinces.

After the absolute nullity decision in CHP, which was authorized by voters to govern 35 metropolitan and provincial municipalities, 91 members of parliament and many mayors moved to the YENİ Party. Currently, 21 metropolitan municipalities and provincial municipalities are governed by YENİ Party mayors.

The municipalities governed by YENİ Party mayors are as follows:

1-Turgay Sevindi - Mayor of Amasya

2-Faruk Demir - Mayor of Ardahan

3-Bilgehan Erdem - Mayor of Artvin

4-Melek Mızrak Subaşı - Mayor of Bilecik

5-Ali Orkun Ercengiz - Mayor of Burdur

6-Muharrem Erkek - Mayor of Çanakkale

7-Bülent Nuri Çavuşoğlu - Mayor of Denizli

8-Filiz Gencan Akın - Mayor of Edirne

9-Ayşe Ünlüce - Mayor of Eskişehir Metropolitan Municipality

10-Fuat Köse - Mayor of Giresun

11-Hasan Baltacı - Mayor of Kastamonu

12-Ahmet Önal - Mayor of Kırıkkale

13-Selahattin Ekicioğlu - Mayor of Kırşehir

14-Eyüp Kahveci - Mayor of Kütahya

15-Besim Dutlulu - Mayor of Manisa Metropolitan Municipality

16-Metin Gürbüz - Mayor of Sinop

17-Candan Yüceer - Mayor of Tekirdağ Metropolitan Municipality

18-Mehmet Gürel - Mayor of Yalova

19-Tahsin Erdem - Mayor of Zonguldak

Mehmet Tuna Özcan - Acting Mayor of Bolu Municipality, Nuri Aslan - Acting Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality

The municipalities that did not move to the YENİ Party, remained in CHP, and continue to be governed by CHP mayors are as follows:

1-Abdurrahman Tutdere - Mayor of Adıyaman

2-Ahmet Akın - Mayor of Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality

Güngör Geçer - Mayor of Adana Metropolitan Municipality, Büşra Özdemir - Acting Mayor of Antalya Metropolitan Municipality, Hatice Terekeci Özkan - Acting Mayor of Uşak Municipality, Gülşah Yıldırım Genç - Acting Mayor of Mersin Metropolitan Municipality 

AK Party increased the number of provinces it governs from 24 in the March 31, 2024 local elections to 29 after Afyonkarahisar, Aydın, Nevşehir, Bursa, and İzmir passed to AK Party. The provincial municipalities governed by AK Party mayors are as follows:

1-Burcu Köksal - Mayor of Afyonkarahisar

2-Özlem Çerçioğlu - Mayor of Aydın Metropolitan Municipality 3-Evren Dinçer - Mayor of Aksaray

4-Mete Memiş - Mayor of Bayburt

5-Erdal Arıkan - Mayor of Bingöl

6-Nesrullah Tanğlay - Mayor of Bitlis

7-Şahin Biba - Acting Mayor of Bursa Metropolitan Municipality 8-Halil İbrahim Aşgın - Mayor of Çorum

9-Faruk Özlü - Mayor of Düzce

10-Şahin Şerifoğulları - Mayor of Elazığ

11-Mehmet Sekmen - Mayor of Erzurum Metropolitan Municipality

12-Fatma Şahin - Mayor of Gaziantep

13-Mehmet Öntürk - Mayor of Hatay Metropolitan Municipality

14-Şükrü Başdeğğirmen - Mayor of Isparta

15-Cemil Tugay - Mayor of İzmir Metropolitan Municipality

16-Fırat Görgel - Mayor of Kahramanmaraş Metropolitan Municipality

17-Özkan Çetinkaya - Mayor of Karabük

18-Memduh Büyükkılıç - Mayor of Kayseri Metropolitan Municipality

19-Tahir Büyükakın - Mayor of Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality

20-Uğur İbrahim Altay - Mayor of Konya Metropolitan Municipality

21-Samir Er - Mayor of Malatya Metropolitan Municipality

22-Rasim Arı - Mayor of Nevşehir

23-Emrah Özdemir - Mayor of Niğde

24-Mehmet Yarka - Mayor of Şırnak

25-Mehmet Hilmi Güler - Mayor of Ordu Metropolitan Municipality

26-Rahmi Metin - Mayor of Rize

27-Yusuf Alemdar - Mayor of Sakarya Metropolitan Municipality

28-Halit Doğan - Mayor of Samsun Metropolitan Municipality

29-Ahmet Metin Genç - Mayor of Trabzon Metropolitan Municipality

In five provinces, the municipalities are governed by independent mayors. They are as follows:

1-Mansur Yavaş - Mayor of Ankara Metropolitan Municipality

2-Hakan Bilecen - Mayor of Kilis

3-Ahmet Aras - Mayor of Muğla Metropolitan Municipality

4-Mehmet Kasım Gülpınar - Mayor of Şanlıurfa Metropolitan Municipality

5-Muhammet Rıza Yalçınkaya - Mayor of Bartın

After the March 31 local elections, trustees were appointed to six provincial municipalities. The municipalities governed by trustees are as follows:

1-Ekrem Canalp - Acting Mayor of Batman Municipality

2-İbrahim Taşyapan - Acting Mayor of Hakkari Municipality

3-Tuncay Akkoyun - Acting Mayor of Mardin Metropolitan Municipality

4-Kemal Kızılkaya - Acting Mayor of Siirt Municipality

5-Şefik Aygöl - Acting Mayor of Tunceli Municipality

6-Ozan Balcı - Acting Mayor of Van Metropolitan Municipality

DEM Party, which was tasked with governing 10 provincial municipalities in the March 31 local elections, still governs four provincial municipalities. These municipalities are as follows:

1-Hazal Aras - Mayor of Ağrı

2-Ayşe Serra Bucak Küçük - Mayor of Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality

3-Mehmet Nuri Güneş - Mayor of Iğdır

4-Sırrı Söylemez - Mayor of Muş Municipality

Since the 2024 local elections, the number of MHP municipalities has not changed. The municipalities governed by MHP are as follows:

1-İsmail Hakkı Esen- Mayor of Çankırı

2-Vedat Soner Başer - Mayor of Gümüşhane

3-Bekir Aksun - Mayor of Erzincan

4-Savaş Kalaycı - Mayor of Karaman

5-Ötüken Senger - Mayor of Kars

6-Derya Bulut - Mayor of Kırklareli

7-İbrahim Çenet - Mayor of Osmaniye

8-Mehmet Kemal Yazıcıoğlu - Mayor of Tokat

Sivas Mayor Adem Uzun, elected from the Great Unity Party, and Yozgat Mayor Kazım Arslan, elected from the New Welfare Party, continue their duties and did not change parties either.

After the March 31 local elections, there was intense participation especially in the AK Party in district and town municipalities. Considering provincial municipalities and acting mayor elections as well, the total number of municipalities that have switched to the AK Party since the local elections has reached 112. They are as follows:

1-Burcu Köksal - Mayor of Afyonkarahisar Municipality

2-Veysel Topçu - Mayor of Afyonkarahisar Dinar Municipality

3-Levent Koç - Mayor of Ankara Haymana Municipality

4-Mesut Özarslan - Mayor of Ankara Keçiören Municipality

5-Selim Çırpanoğlu - Mayor of Ankara Kahramankazan Municipality

6-Yakup Odabaşı - Mayor of Ankara Gölbaşı Municipality

7-Halil Öztürk - Mayor of Antalya Elmalı Municipality

8-İsa Yıldırım - Mayor of Antalya Aksu Municipality

9-Kadir Kumbul - Mayor of Antalya Serik Municipality

10-Gökhan Budak - Mayor of Ardahan Göle Municipality

11-Özlem Çerçioğlu - Mayor of Aydın Metropolitan Municipality 12-Mustafa İberya Arıkan - Mayor of Aydın Söke Municipality

13-Malik Ercan - Mayor of Aydın Yenipazar Municipality

14-Osman Yıldırımkaya - Mayor of Aydın Sultanhisar Municipality

15-Aydın Dinçer - Mayor of Balıkesir Marmara Adalar Municipality

16-Hamit Tutuş - Mayor of Batman Hasankeyf Municipality

17- Saim Zileli - Mayor of Çanakkale Eceabat Municipality

18-Şenol Öncül - Mayor of Çorum Ortaköy Aşdağul Town Municipality 19-Mehmet Özcan - Mayor of Edirne Keşan Municipality

20-Görbil Özcan - Mayor of Erzurum Şenkaya Municipality

21-Umut Yılmaz - Mayor of Gaziantep Şehitkamil Municipality

22-Mustafa Güzel - Mayor of Gaziantep Karkamış Municipality

23-Orhan Çerkez - Mayor of İstanbul Çekmeköy Municipality

24-Eren Ali Bingöl - Mayor of İstanbul Tuzla Municipality 25-Cemil Tugay - Mayor of İzmir Metropolitan Municipality

26-Onur Emrah Yıldız - Mayor of İzmir Çiğli Municipality

27-Saniye Bora Fıçı - Mayor of İzmir Foça Municipality

28-Mustafa Dursun - Mayor of Kayseri Akkışla Municipality

29-Şeref Güleser - Mayor of Kayseri Felahiye Municipality

30-Hasan Ustaoğlu - Mayor of Konya Seydişehir Municipality

31-Engin Uysal - Mayor of Kütahya Domaniç Municipality 32-Muammer Çelikbaş - Mayor of Niğde Çiftlik Bozköy Town Municipality

33-Hasan Turgut - Mayor of Şırnak Karalar Town Municipality

34-Mehmet Salih İnan - Mayor of Şırdak İdil Town Municipality

35-Tuncer Başoğlu - Mayor of Tekirdağ Hayrabolu Municipality

36-Vahap Akay - Mayor of Tekirdağ Çerkezköy Municipality 37-Yasemin Fazlaca - Mayor of Yalova Altınova Municipality

Özlem Vural Gürzel - Acting Mayor of İstanbul Beykoz Municipality, Sacit Terzi - Acting Mayor of İstanbul Şile Municipality

1-Cömert Özen - Mayor of Adana Feke Municipality

2-Selahattin Aysu - Mayor of Ağrı Eleşkirt Yayladüzü Town Municipality

3-İlhamı Zeyrek - Mayor of Ağrı Eleşkirt Yücekapı Town Municipality

4-İsmet Aslan - Mayor of Ağrı Hamur Municipality

5-İmadeddin Ekmiş - Mayor of Batman Merkez Balpınar Town Municipality

6-Alpaslan Karabulut - Mayor of Batman Beşiri Municipality

7-Eşref Varol - Mayor of Bingöl Ilıcalar Town Municipality

8-Hayrettin Çiçek - Mayor of Bingöl Sancak Town Municipality

9-İbrahim Ergün - Mayor of Bitlis Adilcevaz Aydınlar Town Municipality

10-Ayhan Çavuş - Mayor of Çankırı Orta Yaylakent Town Municipality

11-Muhammet Septioğlu - Mayor of Elazığ Palu Municipality

12-Bayram Öztürk - Mayor of Elazığ Palu Beyhan Town Municipality

13-Ebubekir Irmak - Mayor of Elazığ Sivrice Municipality

14-Ali Açmaz - Mayor of Elazığ Arıcak Bükardi Town Municipality

15-Adem Güneş - Mayor of Erzincan Tercan Kargın Town Municipality

16-Emrullah Akpunar- Mayor of Erzurum Aziziye Municipality

17-Nevzat Karasu- Mayor of Erzurum Köprüköy Municipality

18-Soner Erkan - Mayor of Giresun Eynesil Ören Town Municipality

19-Mehmet Akpınar - Mayor of Kahramanmaraş Dulkadiroğlu Municipality

20-Mehmet Aydın - Mayor of Konya Çumra Municipality

21-Mesut Ercan - Mayor of Konya Emirgazi Municipality

22-Mehmet Ali Yılmaz - Mayor of Konya Yalıhüyük Municipality

23-Ali Öztoklu - Mayor of Konya Doğanhisar Municipality

24-Fatih Orhan - Mayor of Konya Altınekin Municipality

25-Necati Koç - Mayor of Konya Sarayönü Municipality

26-Ali Kemal Derin - Mayor of Kütahya Tavşanlı Municipality

27-Murat Daban- Mayor of Manisa Selendi Municipality

28-Fehim Kaya- Mayor of Muş Bulanık Yoncalı Town Municipality

29-Selahattin Yalçın - Mayor of Muş Yaygın Municipality

30-Mehmet Sıddık Salur- Mayor of Muş Merkez Karaağaç Town Municipality

31-Ömer Faruk Yenilmez - Mayor of Muş Merkez Yeşilova Town Municipality

32-Mesut Karayiğit - Mayor of Ordu Çaybaşı Municipality

33-Adnan Topal - Mayor of Samsun Ladik Municipality

34-Refahattin Şencan - Mayor of Samsun Ayvacık Municipality

35-Sezai Çelikten - Mayor of Sivas Gemerek Municipality

36-Ali Aydemir - Mayor of Sivas Yıldız Town Municipality

37-Alihan Babat - Mayor of Şırnak Uludere Şenoba Town Municipality

38-Ali Pelit - Mayor of Tokat Çat Town Municipality

39-Hamza Bilgin - Mayor of Trabzon Arsin Municipality

40-Davut Karadavut - Mayor of Yozgat Kadışehri Municipality

41-Abdullah Büyükkaradoğan - Mayor of Yozgat Sorgun Araplı Town Municipality

1-Mahmut Dal- Mayor of Adana Saimbeyli Municipality

2-Zeynep Çelik - Mayor of Çanakkale Yenice Kalkım Town Municipality

3-Muammer Yanık - Mayor of Kastamonu Bozkurt Municipality

4-Sadık Sefer - Mayor of Konya Hüyük Municipality

5-Fuat Koçal - Mayor of Trabzon Vakfıkebir Municipality

6-Zafer Arpacı - Mayor of Uşak Banaz Municipality

1-İsmail Akpınar- Mayor of Aksaray Yeşiltepe Town Municipality 2-Sedat Uçar - Mayor of Bingöl Yedisu Municipality 3-Fatih Karabatı - Mayor of Bursa Karacabey Municipality 4-Ercan Özel - Mayor of Bursa Yenişehir Municipality

5-Hayrettin Özdemir - Mayor of Erzurum Horasan Municipality

6-Mustafa Kodal - Mayor of Isparta Yalvaç Municipality 7-Ali Üzlük - Mayor of Konya Ahırlı Municipality

8-Cumali Öztürk - Mayor of Kütahya Gediz Yenikent Town Municipality 9-Rasim Arı - Mayor of Nevşehir Municipality

10-Şerafettin Aydoğdu - Mayor of Samsun Yakakent Municipality 11-Bora Karakullukçu - Mayor of Sivas Koyulhisar Municipality

1-Mayor of Batman İkiköprü Town Municipality Halil İbrahim Karabulut 2-Mayor of Şanlıurfa Birecik Municipality Mehmet Begit

3-Mayor of Şırnak İdil Municipality Türkan Kayır

1-Haydar Sert - Mayor of Adıyaman Besni Suvarlı Town Municipality

2-Abit Özdemir - Mayor of Muş Bulanık Rüstemgedik Town Municipality

3-Maşuk Ataş - Mayor of Muş Bulanık Sarıpınar Town Municipality

1-Abdülbaki Kara - Mayor of Gümüşhane Şiran Municipality

2-Mustafa Duran - Mayor of Kırşehir Çiçekdağ Köseli Town Municipality

1-Ramazan Aydın - Mayor of Elazığ Karakoçan Sarıcan Town Municipality

1-Mustafa Yıldırımcı - Mayor of Ardahan Göle Köprülü Town Municipality

1-İstanbul Üsküdar Municipality

2-İstanbul Bayrampaşa Municipality

3-İstanbul Gaziosmanpaşa Municipality

4-İstanbul Adalar Municipality

5-İstanbul Ataşehir Municipality

1-Ahmet Özer- Mayor of İstanbul Esenyurt Municipality

2-Resul Emrah Şahan - Mayor of İstanbul Şişli Municipality

3-Mustafa Sarıgül - Mayor of Tunceli Ovacık Municipality

4-Mehmet Alkan - Mayor of Kars Kağızman Municipality

5-Hoşyar Sarıyıldız - Mayor of Mersin Akdeniz Municipality

6-Mehmet Karayılan - Mayor of Şanlıurfa Halfeti Municipality

7-Ayvaz Hazır- Mayor of Van Bahçesaray Municipality