Istanbul Metropolitan Council Majority Remains with Opposition Amid Mayor Arrests, Yeni Party Says

Yeni Party spokesperson Zeynel Emre addressed rumors that the ruling AKP could take control of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) council. He noted that the opposition bloc, comprising the CHP and its allies, still holds a numerical advantage with 157 seats against the Cumhur Alliance’s 138 seats. The CHP’s count includes 17 members elected on the DEM list. Emre highlighted that out of the 26 districts won by the Yeni Party, 14 mayors have been arrested or removed from office, stressing that these actions are influencing the council’s arithmetic. He said the gap between the governing and opposition sides persists but is narrowing, and the party is managing the situation to protect the voters’ will.

The statements come as Istanbul’s mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu faced detention and subsequent release in March, underscoring the broader political tension surrounding municipal governance in Turkey.