Ankara Mayor Yavaş breaks national viewing record on Twitch broadcast

Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavaş from the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) broke the national viewing record for a Twitch broadcast on March 17. Held on a platform for professional gamers to broadcast their online plays, the Twitch broadcast raised more than 20,000 Turkish Liras in revenue, which Yavaş funneled into a municipal forestry project.

Thursday March 18 2021 11:28 am

Duvar English

Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavaş from main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) broke the national record for the most viewers on a Twitch broadcast on March 17, attracting 362,000 viewers and raising more than 20,000 Turkish Liras in revenue.

Yavaş joined a broadcast by Pelin Baynazoğlu in an attempt to raise funds for a municipal forestation project called "Capitol of Green" that allows Ankara residents order the planting of trees online.

Sevgili Pelin'e ve Twitch yayınımızı izleyerek canlı yayın rekoru kırmamıza vesile olan, #YeşilinBaşkenti projemize destekte bulunan herkese yürekten teşekkür ediyorum.

Ankara'mızı sizin fikirleriniz ışığında yönetmeyi ve daima sizleri dinlemeyi sürdüreceğim. İyi ki varsınız😊 pic.twitter.com/OzsFW7ikWL
— Mansur Yavaş (@mansuryavas06) March 17, 2021

The mayor allocated the more than 20,000 liras raised on the Twitch broadcast to the project and thanked everyone who participated on his Twitter.

"I never use social media to bicker with anyone. I have to use my Twitter only for my post as mayor," Yavaş said during the interview with young streamer Baynazoğlu.

An active user of his social platforms to connect with younger voters, Yavaş also said that he always tries to understand young people in order to provide domestic opportunities that will prevent brain drain.

The mayor also worked to provide free internet connection to students across the country during the remote education period of the COVID-19 pandemic, and said that he's very upset the government didn't subsidize this.

Yavaş has a large following among his younger constituents and has been mentioned as a favorite in the CHP for a potential presidential candidate in 2023, alongside Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu.