CHP mayor of İzmir's Menderes district detained as opposition crackdown widens

Menderes Mayor İlkay Çiçek and twelve others were detained on August 4 in early-morning raids in İzmir on allegations including bribery, misconduct and membership of a criminal organization. Since the 2024 local elections, more than 50 CHP mayors and municipal officials have been arrested or removed from office, including in Istanbul, Ankara and Antalya, with several municipalities placed under government-appointed trustees. The continuing campaign against the main opposition party weighs on Türkiye's EU relations and on perceptions of the rule of law.

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