List of mayors of Istanbul
Encyclopedia
During 1453-1858
In the Ottoman Empire, the duty of municipal government was the responsibility of "Şehremini" (Şehir: City and Emin: Trustable Person) and local religious judges called "Kadı"The first mayor of Istanbul after the conquest
Fall of Constantinople
The Fall of Constantinople was the capture of the capital of the Byzantine Empire, which occurred after a siege by the Ottoman Empire, under the command of Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II, against the defending army commanded by Byzantine Emperor Constantine XI...
on May 29, 1453 was Hızırbey Çelebi. Until 1858, the capital of the Ottoman Empire was governed by a total of 422 kadis.
Tanzimat period 1858-1876
The idea to establish a municipality organization in a modern way was first discussed in 1854 during the Crimean WarCrimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
when diplomats and journalists of allied nations came to Istanbul. Later, the parliament accepted a law for the establishment of the office of a mayor (Turkish: Şehremini) and a city council.
Salih Paşa received the first title of Şehremini on July 13, 1858 and governed until November 4, 1858. During the Tanzimat
Tanzimat
The Tanzimât , meaning reorganization of the Ottoman Empire, was a period of reformation that began in 1839 and ended with the First Constitutional Era in 1876. The Tanzimât reform era was characterized by various attempts to modernize the Ottoman Empire, to secure its territorial integrity against...
period, 18 mayors took office.
First constitutional monarchy 1876-1908
In 1876, as First constitutional monarchy was proclamated, Kadri Paşa was the mayor of Istanbul. During this period 10 mayors governed Istanbul.Second constitutional monarchy 1908-1923
During the reign of Young TurksYoung Turks
The Young Turks , from French: Les Jeunes Turcs) were a coalition of various groups favouring reformation of the administration of the Ottoman Empire. The movement was against the absolute monarchy of the Ottoman Sultan and favoured a re-installation of the short-lived Kanûn-ı Esâsî constitution...
between 1908-1918 and thenafter until the foundation of the republic, 23 mayors served in the capital.
Governors as mayors 1923-1960
After the proclamation of the republic on October 29, 1923, the governor of the city was charged with the duties as deputy mayor. With the municipality act of April 3, 1930, the title of mayor was abandoned and the governor of Istanbul province took over the duties of the mayor. The two separate councils of the province and the municipality were unified. The two councils were reestablished on March 1, 1957.- 1 Haydar Yulug April 15, 1923 - June 8, 1924
- 2 Emin Erkul June 8, 1924 - October 12, 1928
- 3 Muhittin Üstündağ October 14, 1928 - December 4, 1938
- 4 Lütfi Kırdar December 8, 1938 - October 16, 1949
- 5 Fahrettin Kerim Gökay October 24, 1949 - October 26, 1957
- 6 Kemal Hadımlı July 12, 1957 - October 5, 1957 - Deputy
- 7 Mümtaz Tarhan November 29, 1957 - May 11, 1958
- 8 Ethem Yetkiner May 14, 1958 - December 24, 1958
- 9 Kemal Aygün December 25, 1958 - May 27, 1960
Military rule (1960-1963)
After the coup d'etatCoup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
on May 27, 1960, the military abandoned the mayor and appointed 7 officials until 1963.
- 10 Refik Tulga May 27, 1960 - June 14, 1960 - General
- 11 Şefik Erensü June 14, 1960 - September 24, 1960 General
- 12 Refik Tulga September 24, 1960 - February 26, 1962 - General
- 13 Turan Ertuğ February 27, 1962 - March 16, 1962
- 14 Kadri İlkay March 17, 1962 - December 30, 1963 - Deputy
- 15 Kamuran Görgün June 8, 1962 - June 22, 1962
- 16 Niyazi Akı January 31, 1963 - February 28, 1963 - Deputy
- 17 Necdet Uğur February 23, 1963 - December 9, 1963
Elected mayors (1963-1980)
The municipality act of July 27, 1963 enabled the election of the mayor. The polls held on November 17, 1963 were the first regional elections to elect the mayor.- 18 Haşim İşcanHasim IscanHaşim İşcan was a Turkish high school teacher, province governor and the first elected mayor of Istanbul.-Biography:...
December 10, 1963 - March 11, 1968 - 19 Faruk IlgazFaruk IlgazFaruk Ilgaz was the Chairman of Türkiye Süper Ligi club Fenerbahçe SK between 1966–74 and 1976-80.He was also been Mayor of Istanbul Province Municipality between 12 March 1968 - 6 June 1968.-External links:*...
March 12, 1968 - June 6, 1968 - Deputy - 20 Fahri Atabey June 8, 1968 - December 9, 1973 - APAssociated PressThe Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
- 21 Ahmet İsvan December 14, 1973 - December 11, 1977 - CHPCHP-Healthcare:* Oporto Hospital Centre* Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh* Community Health Partnerships* Certified Health Physicist-Politics:* Christian Heritage Party * Christian Historical Party...
- 22 Aytekin Kotil December 14, 1977 - September 12, 1980 - CHPCHP-Healthcare:* Oporto Hospital Centre* Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh* Community Health Partnerships* Certified Health Physicist-Politics:* Christian Heritage Party * Christian Historical Party...
Military rule (1980-1984)
During the military rule from September 12, 1980 until 1984, mayors were assigned.With the act of December 4, 1981, the municipality of some big cities in Turkey was reorganized to meet the changed requirements.
- 23 İsmet Hakkı Akansel September 12, 1980 - August 30, 1981 - Military General
- 24 Ecmel KutayEcmel KutayEcmel Kutay was a General in the Turkish military and served as the 24th Mayor of Istanbul from 1981 to 1982.-References:...
August 30, 1981 - March 24, 1982 - Military General - 25 Abdullah Tırtıl March 24, 1982 - March 26, 1984 - assigned
Greater Istanbul (1984-today)
On March 8, 1984 the metropolitan municipality act was put into force and on March 23 the municipality of Greater Istanbul was established.- 26 Bedrettin DalanBedrettin DalanBedrettin Dalan is a Turkish engineer, former politician and the first mayor of Greater Istanbul. He is the founder of İSTEK Vakfı, a foundation for education and culture, and Yeditepe University in Istanbul.-Biography:...
March 26, 1984 - March 28, 1989 - ANAPMotherland Party (Turkey)The Motherland Party, was a political party in Turkey. It was founded in 1983 by Turgut Özal. It was merged to Democratic Party in October 2009... - 27 Nurettin SözenNurettin SözenNurettin Sözen is a Turkish doctor, politician and the former mayor of Istanbul, Turkey.-Biography:He graduated from Istanbul University and then became a professor in 1978. He was elected as the mayor of Istanbul on March 28, 1989 while he was a member of SHP. He stayed in the office until March...
March 28, 1989 - March 27, 1994 - SHPSocial Democratic People's Party (Turkey)The current Social Democratic People's Party or SHP is a Turkish left social-democratic political party established in 2002 by Murat Karayalçın, former Ankara Metropolitan Mayor and Foreign Minister .... - 28 Recep Tayyip ErdoğanRecep Tayyip ErdoganRecep Tayyip Erdoğan has been Prime Minister of Turkey since 2003 and is chairman of the ruling Justice and Development Party , which holds a majority of the seats in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. Erdoğan served as Mayor of Istanbul from 1994 to 1998. He graduated in 1981 from Marmara...
March 27, 1994 - November 6, 1998 - FPVirtue PartyVirtue Party was an Islamist political party established in December 1998 in Turkey. It was found unconstitutional by the Constitutional Court and then banned in June 2001, for violating the secularist articles of the Constitution... - 29 Ali Müfit GürtunaAli Müfit GürtunaAli Müfit Gürtuna was the mayor of Istanbul from November 11, 1998 to April 1, 2004.-Political career:He started his political career at ANAP in the beginning of the 1980s. He changed his side in 1994 by joining to the Welfare Party. His rise to success took place after this decision...
November 12, 1998 - April 18, 1999 - FPVirtue PartyVirtue Party was an Islamist political party established in December 1998 in Turkey. It was found unconstitutional by the Constitutional Court and then banned in June 2001, for violating the secularist articles of the Constitution... - 30 Ali Müfit GürtunaAli Müfit GürtunaAli Müfit Gürtuna was the mayor of Istanbul from November 11, 1998 to April 1, 2004.-Political career:He started his political career at ANAP in the beginning of the 1980s. He changed his side in 1994 by joining to the Welfare Party. His rise to success took place after this decision...
April 18, 1999 - March 28, 2004 - FPVirtue PartyVirtue Party was an Islamist political party established in December 1998 in Turkey. It was found unconstitutional by the Constitutional Court and then banned in June 2001, for violating the secularist articles of the Constitution... - 31 Kadir TopbaşKadir TopbasKadir Topbaş is a Turkish architect, right-wing regional politician and the current mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality in Turkey.-Biography:...
March 28, 2004 - today - AKPJustice and Development Party (Turkey)The Justice and Development Party , abbreviated JDP in English and AK PARTİ or AKP in Turkish, is a centre-right political party in Turkey. The party is the largest in Turkey, with 327 members of parliament...