Eskişehir, Türkiye
Monday 1 April 2024
Local elections in Türkiye took place on 31 March 2024 throughout the country’s 81 provinces.
A total of 30 metropolitan and 1,363 district municipal mayors, alongside 1,282 provincial and 21,001 municipal councillors were elected, in addition to numerous local non-partisan positions such as neighbourhood wardens (muhtars) and elderly people’s councils.
The elections took place nine months after the 2023 parliamentary and presidential elections, where the Nation Alliance (“The Table of Six“) opposition coalition suffered an unexpected narrow defeat to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s governing People’s Alliance.
Above: Logo of the Table of Six
Above: President of the Republic of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
This was despite an ongoing economic crisis and rapidly rising inflation.
Following the defeat, the opposition six-party coalition dissolved, with the main opposition parties Republican People’s Party (CHP) and the Good Party (İYİ) fielding separate candidates for effectively all mayoral positions.
Above: Logo of the Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi (CHP) (Republican People’s Party)
Above: Logo of the Good Party
This was the first nationwide election to be contested by the CHP’s new leader Özgür Özel, who had successfully challenged his predecessor Kemal Kılıcdaroğlu for the position in November 2023.
Above: Özgür Özel, Leader of the Opposition
Above: Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu
The Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM), which succeeded the People’s Democratic Party (HDP) as Turkey’s principal Kurdish minority rights party, fielded its own candidates in many western metropoles, despite having previously withdrawn candidates in favour of the Nation Alliance.
Above: Logo of the People’s Equality and Democracy Party
Above: Logo of the Peoples’ Democratic Party
The results were an unexpectedly large victory for the opposition CHP, first time since the 1977 Turkish general election, which despite the lack of any electoral pacts managed to retain most of its metropolitan mayoralties by an increased share of the votes.
In particular, the CHP’s Istanbul candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu was re-elected with 51% of the vote, while Ankara candidate Mansur Yavaş was re-elected with 61%.
Above: Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu
Above: Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavaş
Both mayors also won majorities in their respective metropolitan councils, giving them significantly more powers than their previous terms.
The CHP also won many unexpected victories in areas that had been under government control for the previous two decades, including Bursa, Balıkeser, Manisa, Kütahya, Adıyaman, Amasya, Kırikkale and Denizli.
Overall, the CHP won 35 of Turkey’s 81 provincial capitals, with the People’s Alliance winning 24.
Above: Flag of the Republic of Türkiye
This was the first election since the governing Justice and Development Party (AK Party)’s establishment in 2001 that it did not come first in a national election, with the CHP winning 37.5% of the vote compared to the AK Party’s 35.5%.
Above: Logo of the Adalet ve Kalkınma Partisi (Justice and Development Party)
Commentators compared the vote to the 1989 local elections, where the centre-left opposition had scored significant victories against a right-wing government and came first in the popular vote.
Nevertheless, the People’s Alliance did score some victories against the opposition, taking the traditionally opposition-leaning mayoralties of Hatay and Kırklareli.
The smaller centre-right opposition İYİ Party performed poorly across the country, coming 6th in terms of popular vote and losing over half its vote share.
Meanwhile, the Islamist conservative New Welfare Party (YRP) came 3rd with over 6% of the vote, winning many municipalities in conservative areas from the AK Party.
Above: Logo of the Yeniden Refah Partisi (New Welfare Party)
The pro-Kurdish DEM Party marginally improved their share of the vote, despite some calls for boycotts in their traditional strongholds due to the likelihood of mayors being forcibly removed from office by the Interior Ministry on charges of supporting separatist terrorism.
The Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), the AK Party’s junior alliance partner, lost votes but retained control of many key municipalities that it had won in the previous election.
Above: Logo of the Milliyetçi Hareket Partisi (Nationalist Movement Party)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Tayyip Erdoğan said he is not satisfied with Sunday’s provincial elections, promising to closely examine potential mistakes of his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and rectify them.
Erdoğan’s AKP trailed behind in the local polls, losing numerous municipalities.
The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) emerged as the main winner of the elections, according to preliminary results published by state media.
“Unfortunately, we did not get the result we wanted and hoped for from the local election exam,” Erdogan told supporter in his first post-election speech midnight.
“We will definitely take the necessary steps by weighing the messages given by the nation at the ballot box in the most accurate and objective way,” he added, concluding that “wherever we lose or fall behind, we will identify the reasons very well and make the necessary interventions”.
The vote was seen as a barometer of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s popularity as he sought to win back control of key urban areas he lost to the opposition in elections five years ago.
The CHP’s victory in Ankara and Istanbul in 2019 over Erdogan’s AKP had shattered his aura of invincibility.
A six-party opposition alliance that was led by CHP disintegrated after it failed to oust Erdogan in last year’s election, unable to capitalize on the economic crisis and the government’s initially poor response to last year’s devastating earthquake that killed more than 53,000 people.
Yet, in Sunday’s vote, Imamoglu — a popular figure touted as a possible future challenger to Erdogan — still ran without the support of some of the parties that helped him to victory in 2019.
Both the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party and the nationalist IYI Party fielded their own candidates in the race.
Some 61 million people, including more than a million first-time voters, were eligible to cast ballots for all metropolitan municipalities, town and district mayorships as well as neighbourhood administrations.
Turnout was around 76%, according to the state-run Anadolu Agency, compared to 87% last year.
Analysts said a strong showing for Erdogan’s party would have hardened his resolve to usher in a new constitution — one that would reflect his conservative values and allow him to rule beyond 2028 when his current term ends.
Erdogan, who has presided over Turkey for more than two decades — as Prime Minister since 2003 and President since 2014 — has been advocating for a new constitution that would put family values at the forefront.
Above: Seal of the President of Türkiye
In Eskişehir, Ayşe Ünlüce (CHP) took 51% of the vote.
Born in Eskişehir in 1970, Ayşe Ünlüce completed her primary, secondary and high school education in Eskişehir and her undergraduate education at İzmir Dokuz Eylül University Faculty of Law.
Ünlüce, who started her career as a high criminal judge and later turned to lawyer, was appointed by Eskişehir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Yılmaz Büyükerşen.
She was appointed as the General Secretary of the Metropolitan Municipality.
Ünlüce, who retired from the General Secretary of the Metropolitan Municipality in December 2023, is a mother of two children.
Above: The new Mayor of Eskişehir Ayşe Ünlüce
The CHP became the first party with Büyükerşen, receiving 285,688 votes and 52.30%.
According to the data announced by the agencies, CHP’s Ünlüce became the new mayor of Eskişehir Metropolitan Municipality with 48.50% of the votes.
In Eskişehir, where AKP’s votes dropped significantly, Nebi Hatipoğlu, the common candidate of the People’s Alliance, came in second place with 39.62%.
AKP candidate Burhan Sakallı had a rate of 45.14% with 246,582 votes in the 2019 elections.
In the 2019 elections, AKP won the mayoralty of six districts: Beylikova, Günyüzü, İnönü, Mihalgazi, Sarıcakaya and Sivrihisar.
In this election, İnönü, Mihalgazi, Sarıcakaya came under AKP rule again, while the CHP period began in Sivrihisar and İnönü.
While MHP won in Mihalıççık, where CHP did not nominate a candidate, Han district passed to AKP.
Above: Mayoress Ayşe Ünlüce
As a new mayor prepares to begin her mandate, I want to linger for a moment on the legacy of the departing mayor.
Yılmaz Büyükerşen (born 8 November 1937) is a Turkish politician, educator and outgoing mayor of Eskişehir.
Above: Eskişehir Mayor Yılmaz Büyükerşen
Büyükerşen graduated from the Eskişehir Academy of Economics and Commercial Sciences (later renamed Anadolu University) in 1962.
During his academy years, he worked as a reporter, columnist, caricaturist and editor in various newspapers.
With his friends from the academy, he established a chamber theatre and later a municipal theatre with funds raised by selling their blood to blood banks.
With his studies on the use of radio and television in educational and cultural life, he first built a TV transmitter station and black-and-white training studios at the Academy so that TRT broadcasts in Ankara could be watched from Eskişehir, the second province after Istanbul, and then the first colour in Turkey.
He established the TV system in Eskişehir.
Following his graduation, he was offered an assistantship at the finance department of the academy.
In 1966, he earned his PhD.
In 1968, he became Associate Professor.
In 1973, he became Professor.
Also in 1973, he prepared a model for open universities in Turkey.
In 1976, he was elected as chairman of the Eskişehir Academy of Economics and Commercial Sciences.
In July 1998 he was awarded an honorary degree from the British Open University as Doctor of the University.
Above: Coat of arms of the Open University
He has also been awarded the Legion of Honour by former French President François Mitterrand and the Austrian Decoration for Science and Art by former President Kurt Waldheim.
Above: French President François Mitterrand (1916 – 1996)
Above: Austrian President / United Nations Secretary General Kurt Waldheim (1918 – 2007)
In 1982, with the new Law of Higher Education in Turkey, he was elected Rector of Anadolu University by the President of Turkey.
After his five-year term ended, he was elected again in 1987 by President Turgut Özal.
Above: Turgut Özal (1927 – 1993)
Besides this post, he served as a member of the Radio and Television High Council (RTÜK).
He was elected to chairmanship of the organisation twice.
In 1993, following new laws on RTÜK, his chairmanship ended.
Above: Logo of the Radio and Television Supreme Council
He established the first school of cinema and television in Eskişehir.
His focus has been on culture and literature, establishing faculties of literature, communication sciences, applied fine arts and also a state conservatory.
Büyükerşen is also the only professional wax sculptor in Turkey.
The wax sculpture of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk in Anıtkabir Museum was designed and produced by Büyükerşen.
Above: Turkish President Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (1881 – 1931)
Above: Exterior of the Atatürk mausoleum building of Anıtkabir complex, Ankara, Türkiye
His works are also displayed in the Yılmaz Büyükerşen Wax Museum in Eskişehir.
Above: Wax sculpture of wax sculptor Büyükerşen
He is married with two children and two grandchildren.
As Mayor of Eskişehir, Büyükersen has accomplished the following:
- Establishment of the rail system in urban transportation: the system, whose first stage was 19 kilometers in 2004, reached a line length of 60 kilometers in 2019.
- Cleaning of Porsuk Stream along with environmental regulations and renewal of vehicle and pedestrian bridges on it. Trips are organized on the Porsuk with boats and gondolas.
- The construction of giant regional parks covering hundreds of acres in many parts of the city
- The establishment of art institutions such as the Symphony Orchestra and City Theaters, and
the opening of new culture, arts and congress centres.
Today, Eskişehir is the city with the most theater scenes in Turkey after Istanbul.
- Preparation and implementation of conservation and survival projects for historical buildings
- Completion of infrastructure deficiencies with the new treatment facilities of the city, with an artificial beach, a first in Turkey, in Kentpark, one of the two largest parks of the region, walking, sports and recreation areas.
- Eshişehir has put into service many investments such as:
- Fairytale Castle,
- Zoo
- Underwater World
- Science Experiment Center
- Space House
- Pirate Ship
- Sazova Science Culture and Art Park, which is Eskişehir’s largest park.
- He also founded the Museums Complex, which includes the Yılmaz Büyükerşen Wax Sculptures Museum, the only one in Turkey.
- The complex also includes the Contemporary Glass Arts Museum, Urban Memory Museum and the Liberation Museum.
He has enabled the construction of projects such as the improvement, cleaning and landscaping ofthe Porsul Çayı (Porsuk Stream), Sazova Park, boulevard and street arrangements, Kent Park, the continuation of the Odunpazarı Houses restoration and arrangement project and the Wax Sculpture Museum.
Infrastructure and water projects in Eskişehir were carried out during his period.
Tram, garden, sports and cultural centers in Eskişehir were built during his period.
Thanks to his work, Eskişehir has become one of the most visited tourism centres – at least by Turks.
Büyükerşen showed his aptitude for fine arts such as painting and sculpture by opening departments at universities during his rectorship, and especially in the wax sculptures he created in his private life.
During his term as Mayor, he showed his interest in art with the statues he placed in Eskişehir.
He has been Mayor since 1999.
This was his 4th and last mandate as Mayor.
He aimed to give a message to the public with these statues, and from time to time, he received reactions and was criticized.
He opened Turkey’s first wax sculpture museum bearing his name on 19 May 2013.
Büyükerşen’s autobiography, Zamanı Durduran Saat (The Time That Stops Time) and his biography, Bir Ömür Ki Yılmaz Büyükerşen, written by Mehmet Sadık Bozkurt, were published as books.
Büyükerşen transformed Eskişehir.
I can only hope that his successor will be as equally inspirational.
