The ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) criticized that the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Istanbul mayoral candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu met with the moderator İsmail Küçükkaya in a hotel a few days before his live televised debate with the AK Party candidate Binali Yıldırım.
AK Party Group Deputy Chairman Bülent Turan described the situation as "inappropriate." "The meeting of Ekrem İmamoğlu and İsmail Küçükkaya in a hotel before the broadcast is inappropriate for whatever reason. They violated the format, principles and spirit of a historical broadcast that could contribute to our democratic culture. It is not ethical," said Turan.
AK Party Group Deputy Chairman Muhammet Emin Akbaşoğlu also slammed the meeting by describing it as "immoral theater." Istanbul's top two mayoral candidates on Sunday sat down for a televised debate a week ahead of a rerun of polls in the Turkish megalopolis, home to some 16 million people. The debate between the People's Alliance candidate Binali Yıldırım and the Nation Alliance candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu at Istanbul's Lütfi Kırdar Congress Center started under the moderation of veteran journalist and TV presenter Ismail Küçükkaya.
