Turkish gov’t appoints trustee to district municipality won by main-opposition CHP

The government has appointed Kayseri Deputy Governor Ömer Tekeş as a trustee in Central Anatolian Kayseri province's Pınarbaşı District Municipality, which was won by the main opposition CHP. The local election board decided that elections to be renewed on June 2 following an objection from the far-right MHP.

Tuesday April 09 2024 02:19 pm

Duvar English

Kayseri Governor's Office on April 8 announced that Deputy Governor Ömer Tekeş was appointed as a trustee to Pınarbaşı District Municipality until June 2.

Sayın Valimiz Gökmen ÇİÇEK’in 07.04.2024 tarih 103422 sayılı oluru ile görevlendirildiğim Pınarbaşı Belediye Başkanlığı görevine, 08 Nisan 2024 tarihi itibariyle başlamış bulunmaktayım. pic.twitter.com/s2QZ36WaYC
— Ömer TEKEŞ (@omertekesmia) April 8, 2024

The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) mayoral candidate Deniz Yağan won the local elections in the district after garnering 33.30 of the votes against his cloesest rival Menduh Uzunluoğlu from the government’s far-right ally Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) who received 31.18 percent.

In the application made by MHP to Pınarbaşı District Election Board for the cancellation of the election due to the alleged use of unsealed ballot bags, the board decided to renew the elections on June 2.

MHP Kayseri deputy Baki Ersoy had sworn at and physically assaulted a judge in charge of one of election boards during this process.

CHP's objections against the decision were rejected and Supreme Election Board (YSK) finalized the decision

CHP's elected mayor Yağan said, "If there is a person with a conscience, if there is justice and law; it would be seen that the election should not be cancelled." He added, "They apply pressure from above. They beat, insulted, and intimidated the judge. At first, the MHP party representative (in the election baord) abstained, yet they changed their stance with the instruction from above.”

Pınarbaşı constituents on June 2 will only vote for the district mayor and the district municipal council.

The results from the March 31 local elections in the Central Anatolian Kayseri province's Pınarbaiı district is taken from Anadolu Agency.