Turkey: Opposition Denounces Defections to Erdogan

Sunday 13 September 2026 - 09:51

Turkey's main opposition party accuses its elected officials of "betrayal" following a series of defections to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's party. These departures have allowed the AKP to regain several municipalities, including Istanbul, where the political balance has shifted since the 2024 local elections.

Tensions are rising within the Turkish opposition. Özgür Özel, leader of the Yeni Parti, strongly condemned on Saturday the departure of several elected officials from his camp to the Justice and Development Party (AKP) of Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Before thousands gathered in Üsküdar, Istanbul, the opposition leader accused the elected officials who switched sides of "betraying" their movement. The demonstration came after the AKP regained control of this district, made possible by the defection of four opposition elected officials.

AKP Strengthens Its Grip on Istanbul

The takeover of Üsküdar occurs amid a reshaping of the local political landscape. The opposition mayor of the district had been arrested at the end of July, paving the way for a change in majority.

Three other district mayors in Istanbul had already joined the AKP over the summer. The ruling party now controls 20 of the 39 districts of the metropolis, compared to 13 the day after the 2024 municipal elections.

These elections had marked a significant setback for Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his party, which recorded their worst local election performance in over twenty years.

A Series of Defections Across the Country

The phenomenon is not limited to Istanbul. Since last year, mayors and elected officials from several Turkish cities have also joined the ranks of the AKP.

These transfers come as several opposition leaders have been arrested, notably in connection with investigations into alleged corruption.

For some observers, this succession of departures reflects the pressure exerted on the opposition since the 2024 local elections. This pressure reached a particularly high level with the arrest in March 2025 of Ekrem Imamoglu, then mayor of Istanbul and a key figure in the opposition to Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Özgür Özel Aims to Remobilize His Camp

In light of this development, Özgür Özel seeks to maintain the mobilization of his supporters. The political leader insists that the pressures faced by the opposition should not lead his voters to give up the electoral battle.

During his rally in Üsküdar, he urged his supporters not to succumb to fear and expressed confidence that the opposition could still prevail at the polls.

The leader therefore aims to prepare his camp for the upcoming electoral challenges, despite the legal and political difficulties he faces.

This reshaping also comes at a tumultuous time for Özgür Özel himself. Excluded by the courts from the leadership of his previous party at the end of July, he has since created a new political formation, the Yeni Parti, according to reports from AFP.

The balance of power between the AKP and the opposition remains particularly tense, with Istanbul continuing to be one of the main battlegrounds of this political struggle.