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Following the March 19 arrest of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality's (IBB) former Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu on corruption charges, the city council is set to hold an election to appoint an acting mayor on Wednesday. The vote will take place at 1 p.m. local time, with the Republican People’s Party (CHP) most likely nominating Nuri Aslan for the position.
Aslan, who was designated by Imamoglu through a handwritten authorization prior to his detention according to pro-opposition resources, has been serving as the deputy mayor. Given the composition of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Council, where CHP holds a majority, Aslan is expected to be elected as the acting mayor.
The IBB city council consists of 314 members. The current distribution of seats is as follows: CHP with 185 seats, the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) with 120 seats, the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) occupies seven seats and the Great Union Party (BBP) holds two seats.
With CHP holding the largest share, the party’s nominee is highly likely to secure the acting mayoral position. Since the terrorism charges against mayor Imamoglu has been dropped, the administration of the city will remain under the rule of the same party.
Nuri Aslan was born in 1969 in Sivas, Türkiye. He pursued higher education at Yildiz Technical University, graduating from the faculty of engineering with a degree in shipbuilding and machinery engineering. After completing his studies, he embarked on a career in the private sector, eventually serving as a general manager at a private company.
His political and civic engagements span several decades:
With Imamoglu's legal situation unfolding, Aslan’s administrative experience in municipal governance and various civic organizations alongside his proximity to the arrested mayor from his local mayor times positions him as a key figure through this transitional period.
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