AKP Eyes 100 Opposition Municipal Takeovers in ‘Transfer Market’ Strategy
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Turkey’s ruling party is reportedly targeting the defection of dozens of opposition mayors in a covert strategy aimed at expanding its local government dominance without holding new elections.
59 Municipalities Already Taken from the Opposition
Following the March 31 local elections, 59 municipalities initially won by opposition parties are now under AKP control, according to Turkish journalist Mehmet Y. Yılmaz. The ruling party is reportedly not done.
Behind closed doors, AKP insiders say the next goal is to increase the number of major metropolitan municipalities under its control to 14, and to bring the total number of municipalities flipped from the opposition to 100.
Since Turkish law does not allow early local elections, the only available route is through what Yılmaz calls a “political transfer market.”
Special Teams Allegedly Formed to Target Mayors
To execute this plan, the AKP is said to have established a dedicated team led by Hayati Yazıcı, head of the party’s legal and political affairs unit. This group is allegedly tasked with identifying opposition mayors who might be persuaded—or pressured—to switch sides.
Journalist Deniz Zeyrek claims this team is delving into the “private lives and weaknesses” of mayors to exploit vulnerabilities. Yılmaz, commenting critically, suggests the operation is less about political values and more about leveraging human frailties—such as greed or ambition.
“Mayors with strong political ethics would not respond to such offers,” Yılmaz writes, “so the focus has shifted to personal weaknesses.”
Whispers of Blackmail and Legal Gray Zones
The tactics allegedly employed raise ethical and legal red flags. The Turkish Penal Code defines blackmail (şantaj) as threatening to disclose damaging personal information for gain. Punishable by prison sentences and fines, it is a serious offense—but one that requires prosecutorial courage, Yılmaz notes sardonically.
While prosecutors could pursue such cases without a formal complaint, the political climate makes such actions unlikely.
Why So Much Interest in Municipal Control?
According to Yılmaz, the AKP’s obsession with controlling municipalities is rooted in public procurement and contracting. “The AKP is essentially a tender-based party,” he says, referring to the political economy of public bids—from catering to roadwork—that municipalities oversee.
Keeping local AKP branches alive and functional depends heavily on access to such financial resources.
He points out that transferring mayors isn’t just about gaining office—it’s about gaining access to billions in public contracts.
Recalling past debates over a political ethics law, Yılmaz notes how even former PM Ahmet Davutoğlu was warned that if the bill passed, “you won’t be able to find a single mayor or party head willing to work.”
Imamoğlu: A Symbol of Resistance Under Legal Fire
The piece also highlights the politically charged case of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, currently in prison, whose conviction for allegedly insulting election officials has been upheld by an appeals court.
Imamoğlu, a potential challenger to President Erdoğan in future elections, was sentenced to 2 years, 7 months, and 15 days, and is barred from holding public office. He insists his “fool” remark was directed at then-Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu, not the judges, but the YSK members (Supreme Electoral Council) disagree.
Yılmaz questions the logic behind the original decision to invalidate only the mayoral vote out of four ballots from the same envelope in the 2019 Istanbul elections—calling it “a strange use of reason” that ultimately cost AKP the city in a rerun.
By Mehmet M Yilmaz of T24.com.tr
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