President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan welcomed three mayors from Istanbul to the ruling AK Party during a party program at the Haliç Congress Center. Tuzla Mayor Eren Ali Bingöl, Çekmeköy Mayor Orhan Çerkez, and Şile Deputy Mayor Sacit Terzi officially joined the AK Party ranks. Erdoğan personally presented the new members with AK Party membership badges during the Istanbul Provincial Advisory Council Program. The defections are notable as they shift the political landscape within Istanbul’s local governance. This move is being viewed as a boost for the AK Party ahead of potential future elections. Details surrounding the reasons for the mayors’ decisions to switch affiliations remain limited but signals a reshaping of the municipality leaderships. The event underscores the ongoing dynamic nature of Turkish politics and party allegiances.