04.09.2026 12:01
Ahead of the acting mayor election to be repeated on September 5 in Uskudar, the joining of 4 CHP municipal council members to the AK Party and the detention of 3 CHP members caused a reaction from CHP Chairman Kemal Kilicdaroglu. Kilicdaroglu, saying, 'Will you take the municipalities you could not win at the ballot box one by one with these methods?' called on CHP members for unity.
CHP Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu made statements regarding the mayoral deputy election process in Üsküdar. Evaluating the developments in Üsküdar, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu targeted the government through municipalities.
“IS THE NATIONAL WILL ONLY SACRED WHEN THE PEOPLE ELECT YOU?”
Kılıçdaroğlu listed recent events in Üsküdar and Yüreğir, emphasizing the “national will.” Kılıçdaroğlu said, “Once upon a time, 'national will' was never off this government's tongue. I look at what happened in Üsküdar and Yüreğir: Courts, investigations, detentions, transfers of council members… I ask: Is the national will only sacred when the people elect you?”
CALL FOR UNITY TO CHP MEMBERS
Addressing CHP members, Kılıçdaroğlu urged acting in unity in the face of developments. Kılıçdaroğlu said, “I call on all Republican People's Party members from here: Stand by each other. Let no one feel alone in the face of these pressures. We will not fear, we will not disperse, we will not leave each other alone. The Republican People's Party's municipalities were won with the people's votes. We will not hand over the trust given by the people to anyone through behind-the-scenes games.”
4 CHP MEMBERS IN ÜSKÜDAR DEFECTED TO AK PARTY
Üsküdar Municipal Council's CHP members Ahmet Başbaydar, Ayhan Aydın, Hüseyin Kazan, and Tahsin Usta left their party and joined the AK Party. With these defections, the People's Alliance's seat count rose from 17 to 21, while the CHP's seat count fell from 27 to 23. Following the judicial process regarding the Üsküdar Mayor Deputy election, the election will be held again. The Istanbul Governor's Office announced that, in line with the decision of the Regional Administrative Court, the deputy mayoral election will be held on Saturday, September 5.
CHP AHEAD ON PAPER, BUT THE ARITHMETIC IS CRITICAL
In the council table, the CHP still leads with 23 seats against the People's Alliance's 21. However, the detention of 3 CHP council members makes the picture that will emerge on election day critical. Among the detained members are Amine Cansu Çelik and Ekrem Baki, who previously engaged in politics within the AK Party. If the detention of the three members continues until election day and they cannot participate in the vote, the number of votes the CHP can effectively use could drop to 20. In such a scenario, the outcome of the deputy mayoral election in Üsküdar could completely change against the People's Alliance's 21 votes.
“WILL YOU TAKE THE MUNICIPALITIES YOU COULDN'T WIN AT THE BALLOT BOX WITH THESE METHODS?”
In the harshest part of his statement, Kılıçdaroğlu directly addressed the government: “Stop using the power of the government against people for the sake of a mayoral position. Will you take the municipalities you couldn't win at the ballot box one by one with these methods? Is it worth bringing the country to this state, trampling on law and morality, just to take one more municipality? You can never take over the Republican People's Party through intimidation or division.”