AKP Candidate Mandated Instead of Winning HDP Candidate in Van District

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The Supreme Election Council (YSK) ruled on April 11 that the elected mayors who were previously discharged from public service upon statutory decrees during the State of Emergency (2016-2018) shall not be given their certificates of election.

After the verdict, the second-place candidate in the Tuşba district in the southeastern province of Van as the winning candidate Yılmaz Berki from the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) was discharged upon a statutory decree.

Salih Akman, the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) candidate, was given the certificate of election today (April 12).

HDP candidate won by a clear margin

In the March 31 local elections, HDP candidate Berki got the 52.93 (33,114 votes) percent of the votes while his AKP rival Akman got 39.37 percent (24,632 votes).

Akman tweeted after assuming office as the mayor in an election he came second.

"We got our mandate. I will be honored to serve my home, my first love, Tuşba," he said.

Meanwhile, the police prevented the HDP members and supporters to protest as the Governor of Van prohibited all the events and demonstration in the city after the YSK verdict on statutory decrees. (HA/VK)