Turkish opposition stronghold falls in Erdogan's hands as Izmir mayor defects

The mayor of Izmir, a major Turkish city and the secular opposition's stronghold, joined President Tayyip Erdogan's ruling AK Party on Wednesday.In 2024, Cemil Tugay was elected as the mayor from the Republican People's Party (CHP) before quitting in June. Tugay had won the election with 49 per cent of the vote, defeating the AKP candidate who got a share of 37 per cent.He formally joined the AKP during a ceremony headed by Erdogan in Ankara."I welcome Izmir Mayor Cemil Tugay who is today joining the AKP family," Erdogan told party members in Ankara. AFP reported.The move is being seen as a huge symbolic victory for Erdogan, handing his party the mayoralty of a western coastal city it has never won at the ballot box.Izmir has long been regarded as the heartland of Turkey's secular, social democratic opposition.The defection comes as the opposition battles an increasingly intense crackdown on its mayors and elected officials. Dozens have been jailed pending trial in corruption cases, and observers say the arrests and lawsuits are politically motivated, a charge the opposition also makes. AFP reported.The crackdown followed the CHP's resounding victory in the 2024 local elections, a major blow for Erdogan. Since then, the party has faced a growing intimidation campaign.According to figures published by the independent Diken news website and cited by AFP, six of CHP's provincial mayors have been arrested, including Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, along with 29 district mayors, 13 of them in Istanbul.You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.