AKP's Hatay candidate Mehmet Öntürk announces the vote share Lütfü Savaş will receive: Central government provided all services in Hatay

Turkey will head to the polls for local elections on March 31, 2024. With less than 2 months remaining until the critical elections, Hatay is among the most closely watched cities, alongside Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir.

LÜTFÜ SAVAŞ PROTESTED

In Hatay, one of the cities most affected by the February 6 earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaraş, the CHP's decision to nominate incumbent mayor Lütfü Savaş has sparked reactions.

While the protest against Savaş during the commemoration events held on the anniversary of the earthquake fueled debates, the question of 'Will Lütfü Savaş's candidacy be withdrawn?' came to mind. Savaş, however, denied these allegations and announced that his candidacy continues.

ASSERTIVE REMARKS FROM AKP'S ÖNTÜRK

While there is curiosity about the outcome of the first local elections to be held after the February 6 earthquakes, striking statements came from AKP Hatay Metropolitan Municipality mayoral candidate Mehmet Öntürk.

As a guest on a tv100 broadcast, Öntürk made assertive statements regarding the vote shares in Hatay.

Here are the highlights from Öntürk's statements:

"Throughout our 22 years in power, we have never discriminated in providing services based on whether a province voted for us or not. We have never discriminated in any of our districts based on whether they voted for us or not. The policy of our President and his colleagues is clear."

"CENTRAL GOVERNMENT PROVIDED ALL SERVICES IN HATAY"

"After February 6, unfortunately, all services were provided to Hatay by the central government. Who is responsible for drinking water today? The Metropolitan Municipality, right? Who is responsible for sewage? The Metropolitan Municipality. We are providing all these services either through the State Hydraulic Works (DSİ), the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization, or the Iller Bank. What our President meant to say was that if the central government and local administration can look at things with the same mentality, services will be much more active and much faster."

"THE PEOPLE'S ALLIANCE WILL RECEIVE OVER 55 PERCENT IN THIS ELECTION"

"What I see in the field is that the People's Alliance will receive over 55 percent in this election. I think the CHP will receive around 40 percent. I am of the opinion that there will be a 15-point gap between us in the end."