Turkey's opposition leader Özel denounces AKP takeover in Üsküdar council vote

Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Özgür Özel has condemned the recent municipal council decision in Istanbul's Üsküdar district, which transferred local administrative authority to the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).

Speaking at a public demonstration in Üsküdar and during a television appearance, Özel described the process as an affront to democratic standards and questioned President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's commitment to democratic principles. The opposition leader emphasized that CHP had legitimately won the district in local elections and accused the governing party of overriding the voters' choice.

Separately, Özel addressed Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavaş's recent meeting with Erdoğan, stating that the discussion was limited to addressing operational municipal bottlenecks in the capital rather than political bargaining.

Sources: Bianet, Cumhuriyet