Turkey: the criticized mayor of Hatay, a city devastated by earthquakes, reinvested by his party

2024-02-20T12:30:49.000Z

Highlights: The CHP, the main Turkish opposition party, confirmed the name of its candidate for the next municipal elections in Hatay. Lütfü Savas, the outgoing mayor, will try to keep his seat despite the strong criticism he received after the devastating earthquake. The opposition alliance dominated by the CHP won only 36% of the votes inHatay, compared to 48% for President Erdogan's alliance. Clearly, Lü TFu Savas was the least bad choice if the main opposition party wants to keep Hatay town hall.

After weeks of controversy, the CHP, the main Turkish opposition party, confirmed the name of its candidate for the next municipal elections in Hatay, the city most affected by the earthquakes...

Turkey: the criticized mayor of Hatay, a city devastated by earthquakes, reinvested by his party

After weeks of controversy, the CHP, the main Turkish opposition party, confirmed the name of its candidate for the next municipal elections in Hatay, the city most affected by the earthquakes of February 6, 2023. Lütfü Savas, the outgoing mayor , will try to keep his seat despite the strong criticism he received after the devastating earthquake.

Residents near the rubble of collapsed buildings in Hatay, February 13, 2023. © BULENT KILIC / AFP

By: RFI Follow

With our correspondent in Istanbul,

Anne Andlauer

If the main Turkish opposition party has chosen to once again nominate its outgoing mayor, Lütfü Savas, for the municipal elections in Hatay, it is because it has not found anything better. A bit of a strange way to support your candidate, but that's how CHP leader Özgür Özel presented things.

Critical

Lütfü Savas is widely criticized by some residents, and within the opposition in general, for having approved constructions which collapsed on February 6, 2023, or for having, just after the earthquake, defended the promoter of a residence which collapsed on its 700 inhabitants.

But according to the CHP, no other name is doing better than him in the polls and Lütfü Savas, who despite everything retains a certain electoral base, had suggested that he would run as an independent if his party did not nominate him. Within the CHP, we also note that the popularity of the outgoing mayor is greater than that of his party. In the 2023 legislative elections, the opposition alliance dominated by the CHP won only 36% of the votes in Hatay, compared to 48% for President Erdogan's alliance.

Less bad choice

Clearly, Lütfü Savas was the least bad choice if the main opposition party wants to keep Hatay town hall. An observation that says a lot about the CHP and its ability to embody the alternative in the Turkish political landscape.

Also listen to Grand Report - Hatay: one year after the earthquake, ruins and ghosts

Turkey: the criticized mayor of Hatay, a city devastated by earthquakes, reinvested by his party

Turkey: the criticized mayor of Hatay, a city devastated by earthquakes, reinvested by his party

Critical

Less bad choice

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