Ruling AK Party under fire for stalling opposition-led municipal projects

Following Türkiye’s March 31 local elections, the political landscape of the country’s municipalities saw significant changes. The ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), which faced major losses, has since initiated internal discussions to address its performance decline. Party members, particularly those known for their lavish lifestyles, are now under scrutiny. Meanwhile, the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), which secured victories in three major metropolitan areas, has raised concerns over the government’s treatment of opposition-led municipalities.

According to reports, the AK Party has allegedly stalled approvals for subway and light rail projects in opposition-controlled municipalities and has withheld signatures on applications for external loans. In contrast, the party is said to have pushed for decisions to transfer metro and tram projects in AK Party-led municipalities to the Ministry of Transport.

CHP Deputy Chairman Ulas Karasu has brought these allegations to the attention of Parliament, accusing the government of double standards. “The government is drawing a line between their municipalities and ours,” he said.

Karasu further claimed that the government was punishing citizens in cities where it lost control, stating, “Opposition-run municipalities are treated with the mentality of ‘no support even in times of need.’ This is a clear indication that the justice in the AK Party’s name is absent, as it discriminates between municipalities and penalizes citizens.”

He also added, “They are doing everything they can to tie the hands of our municipalities that succeeded in the last local elections.”

President and AK Party leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan has recently increased his criticism of opposition municipalities, particularly targeting those led by the CHP. Referring to environmental issues in the Gulf of Izmir, Erdogan remarked, “Environmental destruction has spiraled out of control in the cities they manage. Fish can no longer breathe in the Gulf of Izmir, let alone the people.”