Abdulvahap Göçer, the mayor of Malatya's Yazıhan district, was referred to the disciplinary committee with a request for definitive dismissal after he criticized Malatya Deputy Veli Ağbaba and the party administration at his party's provincial congress.
Göçer said, “No one should expect a mayor in Yazıhan who will follow instructions. We were elected by the people.” Göçer reacted to the control over elected mayors.
29 chairmen quit CHP in 21 months
After the March 31, 2024 General Elections for Local Authorities, the Republican People's Party (CHP) achieved a significant success and the resignations following the elections drew attention. In the post-election period, 29 mayors and 59 municipal council members resigned from CHP.
It was stated that some of the resignations resulted in a change of party, while others preferred to remain independent.
The passage of the Özlems was eventful
Among the examples made public, some names that resigned from the CHP and joined the AK Party stood out.
The transfer of Aydın Metropolitan Mayor Özlem Çerçioğlu and Özlem Vural Gürzel, who was elected as Deputy Mayor of Beykoz Municipality, to the AK Party caused controversy both in the party base and in the organizations.
Some mayors and council members who resigned from the CHP chose to continue their duties independently without joining any political party. This group of people are believed to have resigned for reasons such as “being able to act more freely in local governments”, “incompatibilities within the party” and “escaping the pressure from the headquarters”.
The ongoing investigations into CHP municipalities and the arrest of 17 CHP mayors are also seen as influential in the resignations.
In its evaluations of the resignations, the CHP administration emphasized that the process was due to individual preferences, while different opinions are expressed in party lobbies and local organizations.
Some party insiders argue that the following factors are behind the resignations:
- Post-election communication problems between local administrators and central government,
- The perception that party support is insufficient in the face of administrative and political pressures faced by mayors,
- Lack of effective political coordination to address majority problems in municipal councils.
Those who have voiced these criticisms say that the process is not isolated, but points to structural problems in the practice of local governance.
Will the thaw continue?
It is stated that the resignations in the CHP may be decisive in how the party administration will reassess its relationship with local governments and its organizational structure in the coming period. Party sources say the process is being closely monitored and comprehensive evaluations will be made.
However, it is claimed that new resignations may come in the coming days, especially due to the events that took place during the 38th Ordinary Congress Process and the lawsuit filed afterwards, as some names known to be close to CHP's 7th President Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu feel that they have been excluded by the headquarters.