A prominent figure from the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), Gürsel Tekin, announced his intention of becoming a candidate for mayor of Istanbul.

"I would like to become a candidate for mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality," Tekin said in a televised interview that was aired yesterday. Tekin, who is deputy of Istanbul, added, however, that he has not shared his intention with party Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu yet, adding to the already existing turmoil in the party.

Commenting on the ongoing intraparty leadership debates between Muharrem İnce and Kılıçdaroğlu, Tekin said, "It is all the same to me. The identity of our party is the most crucial matter for me regardless of who becomes the next chairman."

He emphasized that the more time they have to campaign for the local elections, the higher chances he has to be elected.

Additionally sharing his thoughts on the petition process, he stated that he does not approve keeping it on the agenda for an extended amount of time.

Currently, the ruling Justice and Development Party's (AK Party) Mevlüt Uysal holds the mayoral position. Uysal was elected in 2017 following the resignation of Kadir Topbaş, who stayed in office for over 10 years after being elected in 2004.