Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavaş resigns from CHP, to continue as independent

September 23, 2026 at 03:26 PM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

Ankara Metropolitan Mayor Mansur Yavaş announced his resignation from the Republican People's Party (CHP) in a social media statement on September 23, 2026. He said he will continue his political path as an independent. The resignation follows criticism within the CHP over his meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his absence from the party's September 9 founding anniversary events.

Key Facts

Mansur Yavaş announced his resignation from the CHP on September 23, 2026, via his personal social media account.
Yavaş stated he will continue his political career as an independent.
Yavaş had skipped the CHP's September 9 founding anniversary events and met with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, drawing criticism from party members.
CHP Spokesperson Müslim Sarı said before the resignation that no one is above the party and criticized mayors who inform leaders of other parties.

Resignation Announcement

Ankara Metropolitan Mayor Mansur Yavaş announced his resignation from the Republican People's Party (CHP) in a statement posted on his personal social media account on September 23, 2026. In the statement, Yavaş said, "I am leaving my membership of the Republican People's Party and presenting to the public that I will continue my political path independently." He added that he had previously said he would take action if there was any discomfort within the party regarding his person or his stance. Yavaş expressed gratitude to those who stood by him during three election campaigns under the CHP umbrella, saying he would be indebted to them for life.

Party Criticism and Erdoğan Meeting

Yavaş's absence from the CHP's September 9 founding anniversary events and his meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had drawn sharp criticism from within the party. Yavaş had stated that he informed both YENİ Party leader Özgür Özel and CHP Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu about his meeting with Erdoğan. CHP Spokesperson Müslim Sarı told reporters shortly before the resignation that the party's institutional identity is above everyone and that no one should consider themselves superior to the CHP. Sarı also criticized mayors who inform leaders of other parties, while expressing the expectation that mayors participate in party events.

Yavaş's Political Statement

In his resignation statement, Yavaş said that some decisions in politics are not made out of anger or resentment but after long deliberation and with a sense of responsibility. He referred to the period starting with March 19 and continuing with legal and political debates, including discussions on absolute nullity, as having brought Turkish politics to a regrettable point. Yavaş stated that his understanding of party membership is to uphold the identity, not to embarrass those who trust him, and to bring dignity to the political structure he represents. He said that he has never engaged in behavior that would belittle the CHP or embarrass its voters, and that he tried to show how municipal governance can be done transparently and accountably in Ankara.