CHP sticks with Hatay candidate amid public backlash

ANKARA

The main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) has announced its decision to stand by Lütfü Savaş as its mayoral candidate for Hatay in the upcoming local elections despite public outcry.

The decision, communicated through a written statement, clarified that the choice to stand by the incumbent mayor was reached after discussions with the party's provincial and district organizations in the earthquake-ravaged city, as well as consultations with district mayoral candidates.

The move follows the initial nomination of Savaş, which had provoked widespread discontent, especially in the wake of the devastating tremors on Feb. 6 last year.

The scrutiny surrounding Savaş is multifaceted. A large number of buildings constructed during his tenure as mayor collapsed during the earthquake, leading to widespread criticism. Most recently, Savaş faced protests during the earthquake commemoration on Feb. 6.

Moreover, allegations linking Savaş to building contractors implicated in the tragedy and perceived failures in the post-earthquake recovery efforts have added to the dispute.

Notably, Savaş's absence from the candidate presentation meeting held over the weekend raised eyebrows, as did the lack of any official announcement regarding his meeting with CHP leader Özgür Özel at the party headquarters.

In a separate development, the CHP has announced the withdrawal of Ali Gökmen, the initially declared mayoral candidate for Istanbul's Esenyurt district, and Temel Akkoçlar, the candidate for Güngören district, due to health problems.

The replacements, Ahmet Özer for Esenyurt district and Yüksel Yalçın for Güngören district, were introduced by the party as the new candidates for these positions.