Turkish opposition leader Özel criticises AKP takeover of Üsküdar district

Özgür Özel, leader of Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), has strongly criticised the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) after it secured the acting mayoralty in Istanbul’s Üsküdar district following a local council vote. Speaking at a public gathering in Üsküdar and during a television interview, Özel questioned President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s commitment to democratic standards, asserting that CHP had legitimately won the district in recent local elections.

Özel characterized the council outcome as anti-democratic and unfair to voter intent. Additionally, he addressed a recent meeting between Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavaş and President Erdoğan, explaining that the discussion focused exclusively on overcoming administrative obstacles that affect municipal services in the capital.

Sources: Bianet, Cumhuriyet