ISTANBUL ASSEMBLY: CHP MARGINALIZED

C O N F I D E N T I A L ISTANBUL 002076

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/04/2015
TAGS: PGOV TU
SUBJECT: ISTANBUL ASSEMBLY: CHP MARGINALIZED

REF: ISTANBUL 1916

Classified By: Consul General Deborah K. Jones for reasons 1.4 (b) and
(d).


1. (C) Summary and Comment: According to CHP's leader in
the Istanbul Municipal Assembly, Deputy Mayor of Besiktas
Kemal Akar, the Assembly, as an institution, is marginalized
in all aspects of city decision-making. Akar complained
about the lack of transparency in AK Party real estate
development and urban renewal planning, but praised Mayor
Kadir Topbas for squelching an unpopular plan for a third
Bosphorus bridge. It is most likely Akar's CHP that is
marginalized, as AK Party Assembly leader Idris Gulluce
(septel) appears to wield great power from his seat there.
This is another reflection of the hold AKP has on Turkey's
cities. End Summary.


2. (C) The CHP's Kemal Akar told us November 22 that the
Assembly, as an institution, is marginalized in all aspects
of city decision-making. He showed us data he plans to
release to the media indicating that only four or five of the
nineteen Assembly commissions had met in the past year. He
also complained that amendments Parliament made last year to
local administration laws had eroded his party's already
limited ability to impact municipal decision-making by
decreasing its representation through re-districting. After
the 2004 local elections, CHP held 59 out of 207 seats in
Istanbul's Municipal Assembly, but with redistricting, that
ratio fell to 71 of 348 seats. (Comment: Redistricting is
not an uncommon tool of parties in power. End comment.)
Moreover, the changes resulting from redistricting were not
proportional to population, he said, claiming that Besiktas,
with a population of some 250,000, has seven representatives
in the assembly, whereas Silivri, with a population of
20,000, has five.


3. (C) Specific complaints: Akar cited the recent Dubai
Towers deal (reftel) as an illustration of what he called the
municipality's routine lack of transparency and tendency to
bypass the Assembly. He claimed that no documents related to
the deal had ever been presented to the Assembly, and scoffed
that the Mayor wasn't even familiar with the details of what
he had signed. Akar also criticized an AK Party urban
renewal project in Sulukule, an important Istanbul center of
Roma history, music and culture. Press have reported that
this project would relocate some 570 families to Tasoluk,
some 50 kilometers away, where the people reportedly do not
want the influx of new neighbors.


4. (SBU) Sometimes on the same page: Akar said he is
willing to give credit where credit is due, and applauded the
Mayor's nomination of Mesut Pektas as the new Secretary
General of the municipality, calling him a "moderate and
reasonable" choice. He also publicly praised the Mayor for
abandoning an unpopular plan to build a third bridge on the
Bosphorus. Akar also seemed to be thinking along the same
lines as Mayor Topbas about improving the traffic problems
that paralyze Istanbul, including promoting a "culture of
public transportation."


5. (C) Mayor on Dubai Towers, urban renewal: Separately,
the Mayor told us November 21 that he was aware of criticism
about Dubai Towers, but stressed the project was following
the letter of the law. Mayor Topbas spoke of his
administration's commitment to continue competing for foreign
investment, and mentioned the transportation sector as one
area of particular interest. He also touched on the need for
urban renewal, confirming municipality plans to renovate
historical buildings, particular in the Sulimaniye area, and
tear down ones "that are not in line with the identity of the
neighborhood."
JONES