Bad news for Erdoğan from Keçiören: The Mesut Özarslan transfer did not help the AKP!

Following the move of Mesut Özarslan, who was elected Mayor of Keçiören from the CHP in the March 31, 2024 Local Administration Elections, to the AKP, new survey results regarding the political landscape in the district have come to the fore.

Özarslan, who announced his resignation from the CHP in February, joined the AKP on June 25 with a pin attached by AKP Chairman and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Özarslan's name had been at the center of controversy due to the resignation process and subsequent allegations against him.

According to the survey conducted by HBS Research between July 16-19, 2026, the AKP's vote share in Keçiören, which was 37.09 percent in the previous general election, fell to 31.80 percent after Özarslan joined the party.

According to the survey results, the expectation that Özarslan's transfer would shift opposition voters toward the AKP did not materialize. The research suggested that a portion of the voters who previously voted for the AKP have shifted their preference to opposition parties.

News Source: 12punto