Konyaaltı Mayor resigns from CHP

Antalya’s Konyaaltı Mayor Cem Kotan has announced his resignation from the CHP following the party's Central Executive Board (MYK) decision to refer him to the disciplinary board with a request for permanent expulsion.

During the CHP MYK meeting, a disciplinary process was initiated with a request for permanent expulsion against 5 mayors, including Konyaaltı Mayor Cem Kotan and Alanya Mayor Osman Tarık Özçelik.

CHP Party Spokesperson Müslim Sarı stated in his remarks following the decision that being a CHP member and working for another political party is a clear disciplinary offense. Sarı had stated, "No one can be a member of the Republican People's Party and call the leader of another political party 'my leader'."

In a statement on his social media account, Kotan declared that he does not accept the accusations against him. Arguing that the reason for his referral to the disciplinary board was his calling Özgür Özel "my leader" and attending congresses held in the city, Kotan stated that he rejects this being considered a crime.

Emphasizing that politics has ethical rules in his statement, Kotan said, "I have not acted outside these ethical rules, and I will not do so." Expressing that he finds the grounds presented to him "contrary to reason and logic," Kotan announced his resignation from CHP membership.

In his message regarding his decision, Kotan stated that he would continue to serve Konyaaltı, adding, "My passion is not positions, but Konyaaltı. My cause is not to divide, but to unite."