Meral Akşener faced with voter protest in Kartal: "I would have loved to vote for you"

Akşener conducted shop visits in Kartal alongside her party's Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality mayoral candidate Buğra Kavuncu and district mayoral candidate Altınok Öz.

"HE DID NOTHING BUT CAUSE HARM AND LOSS"

During the visit, a young man on the street called out to Akşener.

Reminding her that Altınok Öz had previously served as the district mayor, the individual said, "He did nothing for Kartal other than build statues. He ruined and destroyed Kartalspor. He did nothing but make money for his daughter—who is a sculptor herself.

He opened the Kartal Hotel in Nevşehir. He had Kartal Municipality workers labor in Nevşehir. He did nothing for the people of Kartal but cause harm and loss. Why did you nominate such a person, for heaven's sake?

I would have loved to vote for you, but I cannot vote for you solely because of this person. I love you very much and I am your supporter," he complained. Akşener replied, "May you be well."

"VOTERS SHOULD BE TREATED AS BENEFACTORS"

Stopping by a street vendor, Akşener asked for votes for her candidates. When the shopkeeper said, "Unfortunately, we are only remembered from election to election," Akşener replied, "Not me. I have been visiting shopkeepers for three years."

Stating that "just as a customer is a blessing for you, a voter should be a blessing for a politician. We have lost this for a long time," Akşener added, "We should vote based on service, not on 'us versus them' mentalities."

Complaining about the polarizing language, the shopkeeper said, "To me, a vote is a matter of honor. It is not something to be shouted in public. Perhaps you are in my heart, you never know."

WHAT HAPPENED?

Altınok Öz, who was elected Mayor of Kartal from the CHP in the 2009 and 2014 elections, became the İYİ Party's candidate for Mayor of Kartal in the 2024 elections.