02.11.2026 14:11
Sezai Temelli, Deputy Group Chair of the DEM Party, regarding the decision of municipal council members elected within the scope of the city consensus to join the DEM Party, said, "Frankly, we do not want the balances in the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Council to change. Those balances were formed by the choice of the people of Istanbul. These balances can only change again by the choice of the people of Istanbul. We do not accept balances that would occur through transfers or interventions."
DEM Party Democratic Local Governments Board announced that the Central Executive Committee (MYK) approved the request of members who entered municipal councils within the scope of the urban consensus in the 31 March 2024 local elections to join the party.
DEM Party Deputy Group Chair Sezai Temelli, in a statement to ANKA News Agency in Silivri, where he came to follow the 102nd day of the İBB trial, evaluated the decision of municipal council members elected within the scope of the urban consensus to act with DEM Party groups.
Stating that they do not want the balances in the İBB Council to change, Temelli said, "Because a people's will is at stake there. Those balances, that picture, were formed by the preference of the people of Istanbul. Therefore, the balances formed by the preference of the people of Istanbul can only change again by the preference of the people of Istanbul. We do not accept balances that will occur through transfers and interventions."
"URBAN CONSENSUS IS A PROCESS IN WHICH SOCIETY REACHES COMMON GROUND"Emphasizing that the urban consensus is not merely about political parties forming alliances, Temelli spoke as follows:
"Our main goal is, above all, with the understanding of urban consensus, to ensure that cities are governed in this sense. Because urban consensus is not simply a process in which parties come together and form alliances; it is a process in which society reaches agreement and common ground together. We were happy that we achieved this, and we have insisted on this matter until today. However, unfortunately, when we list many issues one after another, such as internal matters in other parties, the AK Party's interference in political parties, and the government's intolerance toward the opposition, we now find it more appropriate to maintain the initial conditions of the urban consensus within our own group. Because the political picture we face today is much different from the political picture that existed then. Therefore, the DEM Party will act with its own group, but it will continue to stand with its respect for the law of urban consensus and its determination regarding that law."
"THE TRUSTEE PRACTICE MUST NOW BE ENDED"Answering the question about Esenyurt Mayor Ahmet Özer, who was arrested in the "urban consensus" case and temporarily removed from his post as a precaution, and who has still not been reinstated despite being released from prison, Sezai Temelli stated that the trustee practice is not limited to Ahmet Özer and spoke as follows:
"Starting with Ahmet Türk, our 10 co-mayors are currently not in their posts. There are trustees in their places. Mayors of the CHP, whom we can count within the scope of this struggle, have also been removed from office. It is not acceptable for the trustee approach to continue. Mayors and co-mayors must return to their posts as soon as possible. This trustee practice must now be ended. Both the government and the judiciary must as soon as possible rid themselves of the approach of creating tutelage over the people's will, ignoring that will, and appointing trustees. The only way for this is for the people to come together in a strong solidarity and democratic struggle against the trustees. This is our goal. From the very beginning, even since 2016, we have been waging a struggle against trustees. A trustee is the usurpation of the people's will. It is impossible for us to accept this."