Üsküdar deputy mayor vote: CHP and Yeni Parti stay out, Sarıoğlu elected

CHP and Yeni Parti did not take part in the deputy mayor election held in the Üsküdar Municipal Council on 20 October. The vote was held to replace Deputy Mayor Dündar Ziya Gültekin, who died in a traffic accident. Muhammed Emin Sarıoğlu, the joint candidate of AK Parti and MHP, ran as the sole candidate and was elected deputy mayor with 24 votes in the third round.

The session was chaired by AK Parti member Ahmet Başbaydar as the oldest council member. In the council, the AK Parti and MHP groups have 24 members, while the CHP and Yeni Parti groups have 18. It was the third election for the deputy mayor post in Üsküdar Municipality.

Statements from Yeni Parti and CHP

Yeni Parti Deputy Chair Yaşar Tüzün announced shortly before the vote that they would not take part. Tüzün said that after consultations with council members, they concluded the election was not legitimate.

We are not taking part, and will not take part, in an illegitimate election.

Yaşar Tüzün, Yeni Parti Deputy Chair

Responding to Tüzün, CHP Spokesperson Müslim Sarı announced that his party had also decided not to take part in the election.

As a result of our assessments, we have decided not to take part in the deputy mayor election to be held in Üsküdar.

Müslim Sarı, CHP Spokesperson