'Heel-wearing Efe' joins the AKP, but that detail did not go unnoticed!
Aydın Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Özlem Çerçioğlu, who resigned from the CHP, has joined the AKP. It was noted that Çerçioğlu, nicknamed the "Heel-wearing Efe," did not wear high heels at her party's 24th anniversary celebration. Residents of Aydın, meanwhile, showed a strong reaction against Çerçioğlu.
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Aydın Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Özlem Çerçioğlu has resigned from the Republican People's Party (CHP), where she served for many years, in a shocking decision. Çerçioğlu announced that she has left the CHP and joined the Justice and Development Party (AKP).
In addition to Çerçioğlu, Söke Mayor Mustafa İberya Arıkan, Yenipazar Mayor Malik Ercan, Sultanhisar Mayor Osman Yıldırımkaya, and Gaziantep Şehitkamil Mayor Umut Yılmaz were also among those who joined the AKP.
THE ABSENCE OF 'TOPUKLU EFE'S' HEELS DREW ATTENTION
It did not go unnoticed that Özlem Çerçioğlu, known by the nickname "Topuklu Efe," did not wear her symbolic high heels—which are well-known among the public—at the ceremony marking the AKP's 24th anniversary.
Aydın CHP YouthBranchMember BarışEmici expressedhis protest against Çerçioğlu'sdefection to the AKPby leaving a pair of high heels in front of themunicipal building.
Çerçioğlu's transition to the AKP was met with great disappointment and anger by the people of Aydın. Comments made on social media and on the streets emphasized that Çerçioğlu's "Topuklu Efe" nickname was, in a sense, a deception. Some of the prominent reactions include the following:
“May our votes be forbidden to her. So-called Topuklu Efe... What kind of Topuklu Efe! She just ran away.”
“She has committed a great betrayal against the people of Aydın. This public will not forgive her.”
“She should also resign from her mayoral position. She did wrong. Shame on her.”