AKP's first act in Bursa was to remove Atatürk and the Turkish flag

Developments following the arrest and suspension of Bursa Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Mustafa Bozbey have sparked controversy in the city. Şahin Biba, the AKP candidate, was elected acting mayor in the election where the CHP did not field a candidate.

Following the change in administration, the municipality's official website also underwent changes.

In social media posts, it was observed that with the municipality passing to AKP management, the Atatürk portrait and the Turkish flag, which were previously on the homepage, had been removed from the site. In screenshots compared with the internet archive from before the change, it was reported that this detail was permanently present in the previous term, but is no longer visible with the new design.

Journalist Barış Pehlivan stated on social media, “The Bursa Metropolitan Municipality, whose mayor was arrested, has passed to the AKP. Below are two frames. The first is the municipality's homepage today. The second is the previous homepage (a March screenshot taken from the Internet Archive)… The frame with the Turkish flag and Atatürk, which was permanently located right next to the municipal logo on the previous homepage, is no longer there today. The question is: When and why was the frame with the Turkish flag and Atatürk, which was fixed on the official site, removed? What is your problem?”

The Bursa Metropolitan Municipality, whose mayor was arrested, has passed to the AKP.
Below are two frames. The first is the municipality's homepage today. The second is the previous homepage (a March screenshot taken from the Internet Archive)…
The frame with the Turkish flag and Atatürk, which was permanently located right next to the municipal logo on the previous homepage… pic.twitter.com/xMfix6enxm

— Barış Pehlivan (@barispehlivan) April 11, 2026

News Source: 12punto