Turkish opposition leader Özel condemns AKP over Üsküdar council vote

Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Özgür Özel has sharply criticized Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan after the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) regained executive authority in Istanbul’s Üsküdar district following a municipal council vote.

Speaking at a public rally in Üsküdar Square, Özel addressed Erdoğan directly over the political shift, asking: "Is this your democracy?" He argued that the council's decision disregarded the electorate's democratic mandate, which had previously awarded the district to the CHP.

Separately, in a television interview on Koza TV, Özel defended Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavaş’s recent meeting with Erdoğan, noting that routine dialogue between municipal leadership and the Turkish presidency remains essential for local governance.

Sources: Bianet, Cumhuriyet