Demonstrators gathered in central İzmir on October 7, 2026, to protest Metropolitan Mayor Cemil Tugay’s decision to join the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). Participants carried Turkish flags, portraits of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and placards defending the city’s democratic mandate.
Protesters demanded Tugay’s resignation after his change of allegiance. Elected as a Republican People’s Party (CHP) candidate in 2024, Tugay subsequently became an independent before joining the AKP. The move gives the ruling party its first İzmir metropolitan mayor, although the municipal assembly remains dominated by the opposition.
