CHP leader Özel slams AKP over Istanbul's Üsküdar leadership shift

Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Özgür Özel has criticized President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan following a controversial political shift in Istanbul's Üsküdar district, where the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) regained executive authority through a deputy mayoral vote. Speaking at a rally in Üsküdar Square, Özel stated that the outcome undermined the democratic mandate established during recent local elections.

In a separate interview on Koza TV, Özel addressed a recent meeting between Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavaş and Erdoğan. He defended the discussion as a practical necessity for effective municipal administration and public service, emphasizing that political dialogue between local government and the presidency should remain routine.

Sources: Bianet, Cumhuriyet