CHP leader Özgür Özel criticises Turkish ruling party over Üsküdar council vote

Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Özgür Özel has sharply criticized the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) after it secured administrative control of Istanbul’s Üsküdar district council.

Speaking at a public rally in Üsküdar and during a television interview, Özel labeled the council vote as anti-democratic, questioning President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's commitment to democracy. He characterized the events as "the darkest, most contaminated" episode in Turkey's political history, emphasizing that local voters had originally chosen the CHP.

Additionally, Özel commented on Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavaş's recent meeting with Erdoğan. He framed the talks as standard administrative consultations meant to overcome bureaucratic obstacles facing municipal services.

Sources: Bianet, Cumhuriyet