Claim from Türkiye Newspaper: Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Cemil Tugay Will Join AKP

Türkiye Newspaper, known for its closeness to the government, claimed that the number of mayors who joined the AKP since the 2024 local elections has reached 102. The newspaper stated that participation will continue this week.

“HE IS EXPECTED TO JOIN AKP ON WEDNESDAY”

In the news, it was claimed that Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Cemil Tugay is expected to join the AKP, along with some district mayors, at the group meeting to be held at the party headquarters on Wednesday.

If this participation takes place, AKP will take over the management of Izmir Metropolitan Municipality for the first time since its establishment.

HE REJECTED IT WITH HARD WORDS IN JANUARY

Tugay said the following in his statement to T24 on January 29, 2026, regarding the allegations that he would switch to AKP:

"No AKP member contacted me regarding this issue. I am 59 years old. I have a worldview and outlook on life for all these years. If I were to ignore all of these in one day and join the AKP, first of all, those around me would not look at me. My mother said, 'I will disown you'. My wife said, 'I will divorce you.' Also, is it possible to do anything with the current management approach of the AKP? All of these allegations are unfounded. We are recruiting based on merit. "We govern the municipality with democracy. How can this be incompatible with our worldview in a party that acts by asking only one person?"

IN AUGUST HE SAID, "I HAVE NO SITUATION LIKE GOING TO A PARTY"

There were allegations about Tugay that he would join the AKP in the summer months. Tugay rejected the allegations in his statement on August 13, saying, "I have no intention of switching to a party right now."

HIS MEETING WITH ERDOĞAN BROUGHT THE ALLEGATIONS AGAIN ON THE AGENDA

Tugay met with AKP President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the Presidential Complex on September 30.

After the meeting, Tugay announced that he informed Erdoğan about the issues on Izmir's agenda and projects regarding the future of the city. After the meeting, allegations that he would join the AKP came to the fore again.