Ankara Bar Association presidential candidates debate legal rights and asset management

Candidates for the Ankara Bar Association presidency are presenting competing visions ahead of the 69th Ordinary General Assembly and presidential election scheduled for October 10-11.

Efsun Türkmen Erol has emphasized the need to strengthen the legal defense by improving the professional conditions of lawyers. Erol stated that the bar should focus on solving the daily challenges faced by lawyers in courthouses to facilitate access to justice. Erol also pledged to pursue legal processes regarding human rights violations, specifically concerning women, children, and the environment, asserting that the bar will act based on legal responsibility rather than political motives.

Funda Şahin has centered her campaign on the management of the bar association’s real estate assets. Şahin questioned why the association’s nine-story building in Kızılay is not being utilized as a shared workspace or library for young lawyers struggling with office rents. Additionally, Şahin raised concerns regarding the transparency of rental agreements and renovation invoices for facilities such as the Gölbaşı Social Facility and the Education Center, calling for greater accountability in how member funds are managed.