San Francisco Frontiers - Mayor of opposition stronghold Izmir defects to Erdogan party

Mayor Cemil Tugay's decision to join the Islamic-rooted Justice and Development Party (AKP) was announced by Erdogan at a parliamentary group meeting in Ankara where he welcomed the mayor in a party-like atmosphere broadcast live on TV.

"I welcome Izmir Mayor Cemil Tugay who is today joining the AKP family," Erdogan said as Tugay walked onto the stage and was handed a party pin.

Taking control of the mayorship of Izmir, a secular stronghold on Turkey's Aegean coast which has long been governed by opposition social democrats, is a major coup for Erdogan.

But although it helps AKP expand its influence in Izmir, it does not mean the party has a majority on the city's metropolitan municipal council, which remains dominated by the opposition.

The defection comes as Turkey's opposition battles an increasingly intense crackdown, with a barrage of what observers say are politically motivated arrests and lawsuits targeting its mayors and elected officials.

The crackdown followed the main opposition CHP's resounding victory in the March 2024 local elections, trouncing AKP in a major blow for Erdogan.

Since then, CHP has faced growing intimidation campaign that has seen six of its provincial mayors arrested, including Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, and 29 of its district mayors, 13 in Istanbul, according to figures published Wednesday by the independent Diken news website.

Alongside the lawsuits, there has been a growing number of defections to AKP, with at least 17 opposition mayors switching to AKP, Medyascope news website said last week ahead of Tugay's defection.

- 'Those who sell out are traitors' -

Tugay's decision came after weeks of rumours that he was planning to switch.

"We love Izmir. May it benefit everyone," Tugay told reporters as he walked into the AKP headquarters where a huge crowd inside the auditorium was raucously chanting, clapping and cheering as Erdogan started to speak

"Izmir is proud of you!" they shouted.

Tugay was elected Izmir mayor in April 2024 just after CHP's local election victory.

But in June this year, he resigned from the party after a controversial court ruling plunged CHP into crisis, ousting its leader Ozgur Ozel who left to form the Yeni (New) Party -- which is now Turkey's main opposition

Despite leaving, Tugay did not follow Ozel, saying he would remain independent, with rumours emerging over the summer that he was considering defecting to AKP -- all of which he denied.

Speculation intensified last week after Tugay met Erdogan at the presidential palace in Ankara.

Addressing a Yeni party meeting in parliament on Tuesday, Ozel spoke of the campaign of pressure, threats and blackmail faced by Izmir's elected officials.

"Those who do not bow to this pressure... will remain our brothers until the day they die. But those who sell out and leave are traitors," he said.

According to figures on the municipality's website, Yeni is the largest group in the 184-member council with 91 seats, followed by the AKP with 38 and the CHP with 35. If Tugay joins the AKP, its representation would rise to 39 seats.

H.Davis--SFF