01.04.2026 20:25
The invalid votes in the Zonguldak Provincial General Assembly presidential election caused a crisis. After the election, in which AK Party member Necdet Karaveli won by 15 to 14 votes, a debate broke out in the hall, and the gendarmerie intervened.
The Zonguldak Provincial General Assembly presidential election was held this morning in the Provincial General Assembly meeting hall, with gendarmerie teams taking security measures in and around the hall.
CANDIDATES OF THE AK PARTY AND CHP COMPETED
According to the results of the 2024 election, the AK Party and CHP shared 32 Provincial General Assembly member seats equally. In the election held two years ago, the AK Party candidate Necdet Karaveli, who had been serving as president since the previous term, was elected president with 17-15 votes. After the completion of Karaveli's two-year term, a new presidential election was held today. In the election, Necdet Karaveli from the AK Party and Hayrettin Kartal from the CHP competed.
INVALID VOTES CAUSED CONTROVERSY, AK PARTY CANDIDATE WON THE ELECTION
In the election where 32 votes were cast, 2 votes for Kartal and 1 vote for Karaveli were declared invalid due to incorrect name writing. CHP Deputy Chairman and Zonguldak MP Deniz Yavuzyılmaz reacted to the fact that the session was managed by Karaveli, who is also a candidate for the new term. Yavuzyılmaz and accompanying party members stated in front of the presidential podium that the decision would be declared invalid and that Karaveli could not preside. Meanwhile, the Council announced that AK Party's Necdet Karaveli won the election with 15 votes against 14.
GENDARMERIE INTERVENED
It was stated that the votes were declared invalid because the names were written as Hayrettin 'Kartay' or 'Nejdet' Karaveli. From time to time, discussions occurred between AK Party and CHP members. As voices rose in the hall, the gendarmerie intervened to calm the tension.
AK Party council members declared that they had won the election and left the hall, while CHP members continued their protests at the presidential podium.