Turkish police detained 25 suspects in a bribery investigation targeting Izmir’s Buca Municipality, deepening scrutiny of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) as it faces growing internal turmoil and criticism over governance in one of its strongholds.
The operation, carried out in the early morning hours by the Izmir Police Department’s Financial Crimes Branch, followed an investigation by the Izmir Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office. Prosecutors issued arrest warrants for 28 suspects, including the municipality’s directors of licensing and inspection and of zoning.
Authorities said the investigation found that illegal construction projects and zoning plans were approved as if they complied with regulations in exchange for bribes, enabling unlawful development and financial gain.
Of the suspects sought, 25 were detained in simultaneous raids. One suspect was reported to be abroad, while efforts were ongoing to apprehend two others.
The corruption probe comes as the CHP grapples with an escalating internal crisis in Buca. Earlier this week, the party’s entire Buca district leadership resigned after intervention by the party’s Central Executive Committee.
Buca District Chair Çağdaş Kaya said he and the district executive board stepped down after the central leadership moved to remove him from office over allegations that he acted as an “instigator” in an earlier incident involving the assault of a street vendor by municipal workers. Kaya denied the claims and accused the central leadership of sidelining grassroots members and prioritizing loyalty over merit.
Broader tensions within the CHP have also resurfaced in Izmir following corruption allegations against former mayor Tunç Soyer, who was arrested in July 2025 alongside the party’s former provincial chair over alleged irregularities at a municipal subsidiary.
Soyer has publicly accused his successor, Mayor Cemil Tugay, of playing a role in his arrest. Tugay rejected the claims, saying he uncovered irregularities in an internal review he initiated after taking office, insisting the legal process was launched by the Interior Ministry.
CHP leadership has sought to present a united front against what it describes as politically motivated investigations into opposition-run municipalities. However, the disputes in Izmir, alongside similar interventions by party headquarters in other provinces, have fueled debate over internal democracy, accountability and governance within the party.
