The countdown has begun for the deputy chairmanship election at the Union of Municipalities of Turkey (TBB). The election, which will be held following the arrest of TBB and Mersin Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Vahap Seçer, will take place on October 15 at 14.30 at a hotel in Ankara.
The vote for the union, which has been under opposition management for approximately 2.5 years, is significant not only for determining the new deputy chairman but also for whether the political balance within the TBB will shift. Ahead of the election, there is curiosity regarding whether opposition parties can field a joint candidate and what stance the DEM Party will take.
PARLIAMENTARY ARITHMETIC WILL BE DECISIVE
According to the Türkiye Gazetesi, the TBB Assembly consists of 304 members from the AKP, 261 from the CHP, 131 from the New Party, 57 from the MHP, 56 from the DEM Party, 9 from the Yeniden Refah Party, and 3 from the IYI Party.
According to this picture, the total number of members of the CHP and the New Party reaches 392. The total for the AKP and MHP is 361. While an advantageous situation emerges if the opposition parties agree on a joint candidate, the CHP and the New Party entering the race with separate candidates could lead to a split in votes.
For this reason, the preference of the DEM Party's 56-member group is seen as critical. The DEM Party's support for a joint candidate could increase the likelihood of the opposition retaining the TBB administration. The party remaining neutral or taking a different position is considered one of the issues that could affect the outcome of the race.
Müslim Sarı, spokesperson for the CHP, called for a joint candidate from the New Party and the DEM Party before the election. Pointing to the importance of cooperation for the TBB administration to remain in the hands of the opposition, Sarı said:
“We must manage this process together. We must agree on a joint candidate together. If we can field a joint candidate and manage this process together, the Union of Municipalities will remain with us. We are ready for communication, cooperation, determining a joint candidate, and forming a joint council.”
Sarı also stated that the main priority for the CHP is that the TBB administration does not pass to the People's Alliance.
PROMINENT NAMES IN THE OPPOSITION
Some names are also coming to the fore in the lobbies for candidacy ahead of the election. While the name of Balıkesir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ahmet Akın is being discussed on the CHP side, it is stated that Eskişehir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ayşe Ünlüce and Manisa Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Besim Dutlulu are being evaluated on the New Party front. The name of Denizli Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Bülent Nuri Çavuşoğlu is also among those mentioned in the lobbies.
Vahap Seçer was elected to the post by receiving 446 votes in the TBB presidential election held in May. The People's Alliance candidate, Kahramanmaraş Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Fırat Görgel, remained at 311 votes in the same election.
News Source: 12punto
