Possibility of a trustee for IMM grows stronger: Three names stand out in the corridors!
Following the detention of Ekrem İmamoğlu, the possibility of appointing a trustee to the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) has become a central topic on the political agenda. T24 columnist Tolga Şardan has revealed the names being discussed within the ruling wing. Here are the details...
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Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu was detained following the cancellation of his university diploma. A "city consensus" investigation and a terrorism investigation were also launched against İmamoğlu. Following all these developments, the possibility of appointing a trustee to the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality is being discussed in political corridors.
T24 columnist Tolga Şardan reported on the rumors regarding who might take office if a trustee is appointed to the IMM.
Regarding the possibility of a trustee, Şardan noted the following:
With the completion of İmamoğlu's detention period, the appointment of a trustee to the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality is on the agenda within the AKP wing due to the possibility that he will be brought to the courthouse and—most likely—arrested.
The local administrators who take part in the government's trustee practice are usually governors or district governors.
Naturally, the first name that comes to mind for Istanbul is Istanbul Governor Davut Gül.
However, the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality holds a special significance for both President Erdoğan and the AKP. For this reason, it is assessed that Gül might not be preferred, and that there is a high probability of choosing a name with a stronger political profile.
The first name that comes to mind is Mevlüt Uysal. He previously served as the IMM Mayor. He knows the organizational chart of the municipality well. He is a name who could purge İmamoğlu's team.
Another is Adil Karaismailoğlu, also a former IMM executive and currently a member of the Turkish Grand National Assembly. However, appointing Karaismailoğlu as a trustee would reduce the AKP's number of seats in Parliament.
Meanwhile, it is stated in the corridors that the name in the mind of Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, who worked closely with İmamoğlu during his time as Istanbul Governor, is Deputy Minister Münir Karaloğlu.
After the prosecutor's and judge's decisions on Sunday, the trustee to be appointed to the IMM will also be clear, within hours.