The ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) continues its local congresses amid changes in its cadres after municipal elections last March. Ahead of a grand convention in Türkiye’s most populated city, Istanbul, the head of the city’s AK Party branch announced he would not run for office again. Osman Nuri Kabaktepe said on Monday that Abdullah Özdemir, mayor of Istanbul district Bağcılar, will be the candidate for his seat at the congress expected to be held on Feb. 8.

Kabaktepe was elected as the party’s Istanbul chair in 2021. Istanbul has long been a stronghold of the party before the unprecedented victory of Ekrem İmamoğlu, candidate for the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) in 2019. Imamoğlu secured a second term in the latest municipal vote against AK Party candidate Murat Kurum, who currently serves as minister of environment, urban planning and climate change.

Abdullah Özdemir, who made his foray into politics in the youth branch of the AK Party, served as a member of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB) assembly between 2019 and 2022. He was elected as Bağcılar mayor after his predecessor resigned in 2022.

Following strong gains by the CHP, the first in years, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has stated that his party "received the message of the electorate" and vowed to reshuffle cadres, paving the way for a long calendar of congresses in districts and provinces. So far, congresses have been held in 903 districts and 27 provinces. The party plans to hold congresses in big cities, including Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir, in February.