15.08.2026 09:00
Türkan Kayır, who was elected as the Mayor of Şırnak's İdil district from the DEM Party in the March 31, 2024 local elections and later expelled from her party, continuing her duty as an independent, has joined the AK Party. At the AK Party's 25th anniversary special program, Kayır received her badge from President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and with this participation, she became the first Assyrian mayor in the history of the AK Party.
Türkan Kayır, who was elected as the Mayor of İdil, Şırnak from the DEM Party in the March 31, 2024 local elections, was later expelled from her party and continued her duty as an independent, has joined the AK Party. At the AK Party's 25th-anniversary special program, Kayır had her badge pinned by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, thus becoming the AK Party's first Assyrian mayor.
At the AK Party's 25th-anniversary events held at the Capital National Garden, a notable badge-pinning ceremony took place. Türkan Kayır, the Mayor of İdil district in Şırnak, who parted ways with her party after being elected from the DEM Party, received her badge from President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and decided to continue her political career under the AK Party umbrella.
ELECTED WITH A RECORD VOTE, EXPELLED IN DECEMBER 2024
Türkan Kayır was elected mayor in the İdil race in the March 31, 2024 Local Elections, where she ran as the DEM Party's candidate, with a record vote share of 7,909 votes and 71.27 percent. In the same election, the AK Party candidate İkbalhan Haznedar received 19.96 percent of the votes. However, the DEM Party administration expelled İdil Mayor Türkan Kayır and Municipal Council Member Ekrem Şimşek from the party in December 2024 on the grounds of "acting with anti-party mentalities." Following the expulsion decision, Kayır, who did not resign from her post, continued her services as an independent mayor.
AK PARTY'S FIRST ASSYRIAN MAYOR
Kayır, who comes from İdil's multicultural social fabric and is known to be of Assyrian origin, joining the AK Party ranks also marked a first in the party's history. With the pinning of her badge, Kayır received the title of the AK Party's first Assyrian mayor.
WHO IS TÜRKAN KAYIR?
Born in 1972 in the İdil district of Şırnak, Türkan Kayır completed her primary and secondary education in İdil. Kayır, who continued her high school education in Germany and lived abroad for many years, is married and the mother of three children. Kayır, who entered active politics with the 2024 local elections, will now continue her mayoral duties under the AK Party umbrella.