Eskişehir Metropolitan Mayor Ayşe Ünlüce was elected Acting President of the Union of Municipalities of Turkiye (UMT) after receiving the highest number of votes in the election held during the UMT Assembly Meeting.
In accordance with Article 22 of Law No. 5355 on Local Government Unions and Article 45 of Municipal Law No. 5393, the UMT Assembly convened in Ankara at the request of the Ankara Governor’s Office, with the election of an Acting President as the sole agenda item.
Eskişehir Metropolitan Mayor Ayşe Ünlüce and Kocaeli Metropolitan Mayor Tahir Büyükakın were nominated for the position of UMT Acting President.
The election, held by the 864-member UMT Assembly, was completed in four rounds:
First round: Ayşe Ünlüce received 409 votes, while Tahir Büyükakın received 369 votes.
Second round: As neither candidate secured the required two-thirds majority of 576 votes, a second round was held. Ünlüce received 403 votes and Büyükakın received 385 votes.
Third round: Ünlüce received 406 votes, while Büyükakın received 363 votes.
Fourth round: Eskişehir Metropolitan Mayor Ayşe Ünlüce was elected UMT Acting President with 417 votes from Assembly members, while Kocaeli Metropolitan Mayor Tahir Büyükakın received 369 votes.
Ünlüce: “I Promise to Carry Out This Duty Equally and Fairly, Without Discrimination”
Speaking after the announcement of the election results, Ayşe Ünlüce addressed the Assembly members and said:
“I would like to thank you all for the confidence and support of our mayors and Assembly members in entrusting me with the position of UMT Acting President, a responsibility I will undertake with great honor.”
Stating that she had been elected to serve as Acting President on behalf of UMT President Vahap Seçer, Ünlüce said:
“Until he regains his freedom as soon as possible and I am able to hand this responsibility back to him, I promise you that I will carry out this duty for our municipalities and for all of you equally and fairly, without any discrimination.”
Referring to the Assembly meeting scheduled for the following week, Ünlüce stated that she would share her assessments during that meeting.
Ünlüce also noted that she had worked alongside Kocaeli Metropolitan Mayor Tahir Büyükakın at the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe and said they had agreed on the importance of conducting the election process in a fair, honest and transparent manner.