Politics · Turkey · 3 hrs ago
Karaburun mayor resigns from YENİ Party and says she will serve as an independent
Karaburun Mayor İlkay Girgin Erdoğan has resigned from the YENİ Party in İzmir, western Turkey.
She said she will continue as mayor but serve as an independent, rather than represent a political party.
Erdoğan was elected in 2019 as the district’s first woman mayor and received 49.81% of the vote in the 2024 local election.
She has not given a reason for leaving the party.
The opposition Republican People’s Party, or CHP, has invited her to return, but she has not said whether she will accept.
Her resignation changes her party affiliation, not her mayoral role, and she says she will keep working for Karaburun’s residents.
Karaburun Mayor İlkay Girgin Erdoğan resigned from the YENİ Party and said she would continue in office as an independent.
She said the decision would not change her responsibilities to the district or her approach to serving its residents.
Erdoğan did not give a reason for leaving the party.
CHP official Müslim Sarı called on her to return to the party.
Erdoğan was elected Karaburun’s first woman mayor in 2019 and received 49.81% of the vote in the 2024 local election.
- Who
- Karaburun Mayor İlkay Girgin Erdoğan.
- What
- She resigned from the YENİ Party and said she would continue as mayor independently.
- When
- October 19, 2026, according to the articles’ publication dates.
- Where
- Karaburun, in İzmir province, Turkey.
- Why
- Not stated. Erdoğan did not give a reason for her resignation.
İlkay Girgin Erdoğan
CHP
Party affiliation
İlkay Girgin Erdoğan
Erdoğan said she would continue as an independent after leaving YENİ Party.
CHP
CHP official Müslim Sarı urged her to return to CHP.
Political direction
İlkay Girgin Erdoğan
Erdoğan said her resignation would not change her responsibilities to Karaburun.
CHP
Sarı said returning to CHP was important because he saw no ideological divide.
İlkay Girgin Erdoğan was elected Karaburun’s first woman mayor.
Erdoğan received 49.81% of the vote in the local election.
Erdoğan announced her resignation from YENİ Party and said she would serve as an independent.
CHP official Müslim Sarı called on Erdoğan to return to CHP.
- Mayor
- İlkay Girgin Erdoğan
- District
- Karaburun, İzmir
- Party resignation
- YENİ Party
- Next role
- Independent mayor
- 2024 local election
- 49.81% of the vote
- First elected
- 2019
3 sources
What people are saying
At this point, following my assessments, I have decided to resign from my YENİ Party membership.
We are calling on her to return home.
Posts on X
Karaburun Belediye Başkanı İlkay Girgin Erdoğan, YENİ Parti'den istifa etti