Who is İsmet Yıldırım? The life of AK Party Ümraniye Mayor İsmet Yıldırım

A banner hung at a residential complex in Istanbul has drawn attention. At this complex, where 230-square-meter 4+1 apartments are sold for 28 million TL, it was alleged that Ümraniye Mayor İsmet Yıldırım had the site's security building demolished to construct a restaurant between two buildings. The banner read, "İsmet Yıldırım, you tore down the site security wall for an illegal restaurant. We hung your poster and even voted for you. May God punish us." This situation has caused astonishment among both the residents of the complex and the surrounding citizens.

WHO IS İSMET YILDIRIM?

İsmet Yıldırım was born in 1960 in Ümraniye. He completed his primary and secondary education in Ümraniye and his high school education in Bakırköy. He graduated from the Civil Engineering department of Yıldız Technical University in 1982, earning the title of engineer.

Following his graduation, he worked as a contractor in his family business, overseeing the construction of numerous residences and facilities. During this period, in addition to his contracting work, he also held active roles in various professional organizations and non-governmental organizations.

Appointed as the General Manager of KİPTAŞ in 1999, İsmet Yıldırım built modern cities in different districts of Istanbul during his tenure. These projects included social infrastructure such as technical facilities, schools, mosques, and bazaars, and he oversaw the construction of a total of 80 thousand housing units. He also initiated the construction of the historical and cultural "Süleymaniye Project," which he had worked on for many years and for which he had completed the bureaucratic processes.