Does Istanbul mayor's ouster spell AKP shakeup?
Istanbul's mayor, a member of the Justice and Development Party, has appeared on post-coup Turkey's chopping block as the ruling party works to revitalize its base and prominent members jockey for the jobs.
The sudden resignation of Istanbul’s mayor this month has sparked speculation that others could be on the chopping block as part of a long-awaited overhaul of the ruling party’s ranks.
Kadir Topbas, the mayor of Turkey’s largest city since 2004, stepped down on Sept. 22, saying, “A man can forgive everything but being disrespected.” A rebellion by fellow Justice and Development Party (AKP) city councilors who overrode his veto of lucrative but controversial construction projects was widely cited as a factor in his decision.
In a sign the AKP is set to reshuffle, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said on Sept. 28 that “necessary steps” would be taken against mayors found to be involved in irregularities or out of touch with constituents.
The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) submitted a parliamentary query to Yildirim this week, asking for confirmation of rumors that as many as 50 mayors would be replaced by state-appointed administrators.
