Politics · Turkey · 5 hrs ago
Ayşe Ünlüce elected deputy head of Turkey's municipal union
The Türkiye Belediyeler Birliği elected Ayşe Ünlüce deputy head in a vote held in Ankara.
Ünlüce, the mayor of Eskişehir, defeated Kocaeli Mayor Tahir Büyükakın after four rounds of voting.
The election was called because the union’s president, Mersin Mayor Vahap Seçer, was detained and removed from his duties.
Ünlüce said she would serve in Seçer’s place until he could return, and promised equal and fair support for municipalities across the country.
Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavaş said voters’ choices must be respected and cannot be taken away.
Ünlüce said she would share further views at the union’s meeting next week.
Eskişehir Mayor Ayşe Ünlüce was elected acting deputy chair of the Turkish Union of Municipalities on October 15.
She won the fourth round with 417 votes, while Kocaeli Mayor Tahir Büyükakın received 369.
The union’s assembly met in Ankara to choose a deputy after its chair, Mersin Mayor Vahap Seçer, was detained and suspended from duty.
Ünlüce said she would carry out the role fairly and equally, without discrimination.
The election was contested by Ünlüce and Büyükakın, backed by opposing political groups.
- Who
- Ayşe Ünlüce, mayor of Eskişehir, was elected. Tahir Büyükakın, mayor of Kocaeli, was the other candidate.
- What
- The Turkish Union of Municipalities elected an acting deputy chair.
- When
- October 15, 2026.
- Where
- At a hotel in Ankara.
- Why
- The union’s chair, Mersin Mayor Vahap Seçer, had been detained and suspended from duty.
Ayşe Ünlüce
Tahir Büyükakın
Election result
Ayşe Ünlüce
Ünlüce received 417 votes in the fourth round and was elected.
Tahir Büyükakın
Büyükakın received 369 votes in the fourth round and was not elected.
Mersin Mayor Vahap Seçer was detained and suspended from duty, prompting the deputy-chair election.
The union’s assembly met in Ankara and held the election.
After four rounds of voting, Ayşe Ünlüce was elected acting deputy chair.
- Election date
- October 15, 2026
- Election venue
- A hotel in Ankara
- Fourth-round votes for Ünlüce
- 417
- Fourth-round votes for Büyükakın
- 369
- Union assembly size
- 864 members
4 sources
What people are saying
I promise to carry out this duty equally and fairly, without making any distinction.
No one can usurp the vote given by the people.