Antalya Metropolitan Mayor Muhittin Böcek was suspended from office yesterday by the Interior Ministry, following his arrest in a corruption investigation.
The move brings the number of opposition mayors removed from office to 13 in the ongoing crackdown, including İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and 11 district mayors from the Republican People's Party (CHP).
Böcek was detained along with two others as part of a bribery investigation initiated by the Antalya Chief Public Prosecutor's Office. He was formally arrested on Jul 5.
The investigation reportedly stems from testimony by businessman Yusuf Yadoğlu, who was previously in pretrial detention in an İstanbul-based case. Prosecutors claim to have uncovered concrete evidence relating to two separate acts of bribery based on Yadoğlu’s statements.
Böcek denies accusations
Following his arrest, Böcek addressed Antalya residents via social media, stating, “Dear people of Antalya, I have never been involved in anything that would cause you shame or regret. These days, when the words of informants and slanderers are taken seriously, will also pass. Divine justice will eventually prevail. I love you all dearly.”
Suspension is a legal precaution taken during ongoing investigations or legal proceedings. Under Article 47 of the Municipal Law No. 5393, mayors can be suspended by the interior minister during such processes. If acquitted, the official may return to duty. However, in practice, suspending mayors has often served as a de facto permanent measure over the past decade, allowing the government to take control of opposition-run municipalities.
While the interior minister is authorized to appoint trustees in place of suspended mayors, this measure is typically reserved for terrorism-related cases. In corruption cases, if a mayor is suspended, the city council selects a deputy mayor to assume the role. As the CHP holds a majority in most of the affected municipal councils, the party is expected to maintain administrative control.
A similar situation occurred in March when İmamoğlu was arrested. The İstanbul City Council, where the CHP holds the majority, selected a CHP member as the deputy mayor to lead the city.
These developments follow a wave of arrests targeting CHP officials, which began in March with the detention of İmamoğlu and nearly 100 others, including municipal employees and officials. İmamoğlu, seen as a key political rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, was named the CHP’s presidential candidate after his arrest.
In the 2024 local elections, the CHP managed to surpass Erdoğan's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) in both vote share and number of municipalities won. The CHP secured 35 out of 81 provincial municipalities, including 14 metropolitan cities, placing a majority of Turkey’s population and local economic centers under opposition control. (VK)
