Behind the scenes: Who will replace İmamoğlu? 3 names are being discussed

The suspension of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu by the Ministry of Interior following his arrest as part of a corruption investigation has brought the question of who will replace him to the agenda.

The İBB Assembly will meet in an extraordinary session on Wednesday, March 26, at 13:00 to determine the new acting mayor. With the election approaching, potential names to take over İmamoğlu's seat have begun to be discussed in CHP circles.

3 NAMES STAND OUT BEHIND THE SCENES

According to information reported by Medyaradar, three names are coming to the fore in CHP circles:

Hasan Akgün (Mayor of Büyükçekmece): Known for his long-standing experience within the CHP and his role as an "elder statesman," Akgün is reportedly considered a candidate to whom no one would object. He is seen as the strongest candidate if a "consensus" formula is implemented within the party.

Sinem Dedetaş (Mayor of Üsküdar): Dedetaş, who stated "I am ready for the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality" immediately after the March 31 elections, is another strong candidate whose name is being mentioned. If elected, Dedetaş would become the first female mayor in the history of the İBB.

Mithat Bülent Özmen (Mayor of Eyüpsultan): The name of Özmen, who served as the General Manager of İGDAŞ after the 2019 elections, is also being mentioned behind the scenes. He is viewed as a familiar name due to his institutional experience.

İMAMOĞLU'S DECISION WILL BE DECISIVE

According to what is being discussed behind the scenes, members of the İBB Assembly primarily want to reach a consensus on a name that everyone can accept. A council member made the following assessment regarding the matter:

"So far, no names have been officially discussed, and no meetings have been held. However, a decision will be made on a name that no one will oppose in Wednesday's elections. We believe that there will be no objection to a name indicated by Ekrem İmamoğlu, and that everyone will support it."

THE NEW MAYOR'S TERM IS LIMITED

The term of the acting mayor who will take office after the election will be limited to the remainder of İmamoğlu's term. However, if İmamoğlu returns before his term expires, he will be able to retake his seat.

Assembly Arithmetic Favors CHP

The İBB Assembly consists of a total of 314 members. The distribution is as follows:

CHP: 185 members

AKP: 120 members

MHP: 7 members

BBP: 2 members

Thanks to the CHP's majority in the assembly, the election is expected to conclude by the third round at the latest. A similar picture applies to the Büyükçekmece Municipal Assembly. In the 37-member assembly, the CHP has 24 members and the AK Party has 10 members.

HOW WILL THE ELECTION PROCESS WORK?

The voting will be conducted by secret ballot and the following rules will apply:

In the 1st and 2nd rounds: A two-thirds majority of the total number of members will be required.

In the 3rd round: A simple majority will be sufficient.

If a simple majority cannot be achieved in the third round, a 4th round will be held between the two candidates who received the most votes.

In the event of a tie, the acting mayor will be determined by drawing lots.