Aytekin Kotil | |
---|---|
Mayor of Istanbul | |
In office December 1977 – 12 September 1980 | |
Preceded by | Ahmet İsvan |
Succeeded by | Hakkı Akansel |
Personal details | |
Born | Gündoğdu, Rize, Turkey | 21 February 1934
Died | 9 August 1992 Istanbul, Turkey | (aged 58)
Resting place | Zincirlikuyu cemetery, Istanbul |
Political party | Republican People's Party (until 12 September 1980) |
Other political affiliations | Social Democratic Populist Party |
Children | 3 |
Alma mater | Istanbul University |
Aytekin Kotil (1934–1992) was a Turkish social democratic politician. He was the mayor of Istanbul being a pioneer in the municipal socialism in Turkey. He was also a member of the Turkish Parliament.
Kotil was born in Gündoğdu, Rize, on 21 February 1934. [1] He had three brothers. [1] He was a graduate of Vefa High School, Istanbul. [2] He received a degree in law from the law faculty of Istanbul University in 1960. [1]
Following his graduation Kotil worked as a lawyer in Istanbul. [1] He joined the Republican People's Party (CHP) and became active in the CHP's Istanbul organization. [3] He was part of a faction consisted of those party members from the Black Sea region. [4] The group was led by Ali Topuz and included Necdet Uğur, Orhan Eyüpoğlu, Tarhan Erdem and other leading figures in the party. [4] It was the earliest supporter of Bülent Ecevit against İsmet İnönü in the election of the CHP chairmanship in 1972. [4] Kotil and Ali Topuz were ardent followers of Bülent Ecevit's left of center movement. [4]
Kotil was named as the head of the CHP's Istanbul branch in 1973. [5] He was elected as the mayor of Istanbul in the local elections held on 11 December 1977, replacing Ahmet İsvan in the post. [1] [6] His slogan in the election campaign was "reachable, not a speech- but a service-generating mayor." [6] He managed to obtain 56.05% of the votes. [6] Kotil adopted a socialist approach during his tenure. [7] His term ended in September 1980 immediately after the military coup. [5] Kotil's successor in the post was Hakkı Akansel, a military general. [1]
Kotil was elected to the Parliament in the 1987 general election from the Social Democratic Populist Party. [1] In the party Kotil and Ali Topuz supported the leadership of Deniz Baykal against Erdal İnönü. [8]
Kotil married in 1961 and had three children. [1] He died of liver disease in Istanbul on 9 August 1992. [1] He was buried in the Zincirlikuyu cemetery, Şişli, Istanbul. [5]
A park in Bakırköy, Istanbul, was named after him in 1993. [1] [9] In 2014 his biography was published in Turkish with the title Karadenizli Bir Politikacı: Aytekin Kotil (1934–1992). [10]