Amid a debate over the assignment of relatives and friends of mayors to key municipal posts, the main opposition party, the Republican People’s Party (CHP), seeks to curb the trend. The party’s administration recently sent a four-page letter to municipalities as a warning against nepotism and excessive expenditures.
The CHP retained key municipalities and won more in the March 31 municipal elections in an unprecedented victory. Since then, media outlets reported a number of cases of favoritism in CHP-run municipalities. For instance, Mustafa Bozbey, who defeated his rival from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) in the metropolitan municipality of Bursa, came under fire for appointing a nephew to one of the municipality’s departments. Bozbey has defended the assignment, claiming his nephew was skilled enough for the position.
Since then, Turkish media uncovered several other cases of nepotism, such as Hakan Bilecen, mayor of the southeastern province of Kilis, appointing his brother-in-law as his deputy. Burcu Köksal, who won the election in former AK Party stronghold Afyonkarahisar, was criticized for recruiting the daughter of a municipal assembly member from the CHP in the municipality’s youth and education department. In CHP stronghold Izmir, newly elected Mayor Cemil Tugay hired the nephew of a prominent lawmaker of his party.
In the letter, the CHP administration warned the municipalities to abstain from favoritism even if people involved in cases of nepotism were well-qualified for the job.
Party Chairperson Özgür Özel has also faced criticism before the municipal elections for alleged nepotism in the picking process, such as the nomination of his lawyer for a mayoral seat in the capital, Ankara.
In a televised interview last week, Özel stated that he would not allow the appointment of relatives of CHP mayors and others to the municipal departments. He gave the example of the mayor of Balıkesir, who appointed the brother of a lawmaker as his adviser. “I phoned them and they suspended the assignment. I also called the Bursa municipality, and they canceled the appointment. Our message is clear. The CHP will not tolerate nepotism,” he told broadcaster Habertürk.
