Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Cemil Tugay joined the AK Party. President Erdoğan wore his badge.
"BEAUTIFUL THINGS ARE WAITING FOR IZMIR"
While entering the AK Party Headquarters building, Cemil Tugay said, "Let's talk later. Now let's go to the hall. Good luck. Good things are waiting for Izmir. Nobody should worry. I love Izmir."
WHO IS CEMİL TUGAY?
Cemil Tugay (b. June 13, 1967, Van) is a Turkish politician, doctor and the mayor of Izmir Metropolitan Municipality since 2024. He served as Mayor of Karşıyaka between 2019-2024.
He graduated from the secondary school department of İzmir İnönü High School in 1980 and the high school department in 1983.
He graduated from Ege University Faculty of Medicine in 1989. He worked as a general practitioner in Çorum and Tire for 4 years.
He specialized in Plastic Surgery between 1993 and 2000, and in 2000 he received his specialist doctorate at Izmir Ataturk Training and Research Hospital.
In 1997, he worked as a research physician at Cleveland Clinic, USA, for 1 year.
After becoming a specialist, he worked as a Plastic Surgery specialist at Karşıyaka State Hospital between 2001-2005 and at İzmir Çiğli City Hospital between 2005-2009.
He started working as a freelance physician in Karşıyaka in 2009 and closed his practice, which had been operating in Alsancak for a while, after he was elected mayor.
He is married and has three children. Her eldest daughter is studying for a master's degree, her son is studying at university and her younger daughter is in high school. Tugay speaks English and French.
POLITICS AND CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATION BACKGROUND
He became a member of the Republican People's Party in 2010.
In 2011, he participated in party activities as CHP Izmir provincial BYKP health commission member.
Between 2012 and 2016, he served as the President of the Izmir Medical Chamber Private Medicine Commission, a member of the executive board of the Turkish Medical Association Private Medicine Branch, and the President of the TTB Branch for 2 terms.
He served as a member and then chairman of the CHP Izmir Provincial R&D Board in 2013-2014.
In 2014, he was elected as a member of the Executive Board of Karşıyaka City Council and worked in the City Council for 1 year.
In 2015, with the appointment of the Headquarters, he served first as the Information Officer and then as the vice president in charge of election and legal affairs in the CHP Karşıyaka District Board of Directors.
In 2016, he was first the delegate of Karşıyaka İnönü District, and then he was elected at the district congress and served as the vice president responsible for NGOs and Professional Chambers in the CHP Karşıyaka Board of Directors. In 2016, he was elected as a member of the Board of Directors of the Turkish Plastic Surgery Association and served in this position for 1 year.
He was elected and served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Aegean Region Plastic Surgery Association in 2017-2018.
He served as Mayor of Karşıyaka between 2019-2024.
On June 18, 2026, he resigned from his membership in the Republican People's Party and continued his duty as an Independent Mayor.
Cemil Tugay joined the AK Party on October 7, 2026.
