Turkish opposition leader Özel criticises AKP over Üsküdar council vote

Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Özgür Özel has condemned Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) after the party secured administrative leadership in Istanbul's Üsküdar district council.

Speaking at a rally in Üsküdar and during an interview on Koza TV, Özel described the process as anti-democratic, questioning President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's democratic credentials after the CHP had previously won the district. Özel claimed the council vote represented "the darkest, most contaminated" episode in Turkey's political history.

Additionally, Özel addressed Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavaş's recent meeting with Erdoğan, framing the talks as routine municipal consultations aimed at overcoming local administrative hurdles.

Sources: Bianet, Cumhuriyet