Adana- a city with troubles and a race too close to call

The race for the mayoral contest in the Mediterranean city of Adana is likely determined by another race which the city is trailing badly: The city’s economy is  simply not keeping pace with regional rivals. The  municipality has to cope with massive in-migration of unskilled and rural labour- the result of the Kurdish unrest in nearby provinces. The decision in the 1990s by the military to forcibly evacuate villages in the East and Southeast of Turkey sent thousands of people to the city people seeking work and a better life. Yet as cheap labour floods into the city, skilled labour is heading elsewhere. A significant part of Adana’s industry has moved to Special Investment Zones like Osmaniye and Maraş.  Gaziantep, which seemed like a district of Adana during the 1960s, now boasts 6.8 billion dollars in annual exports, while Adana’s own exports remain at 1.8 billion dollars.
The most pressing issue in Adana today remains the integration of the thousands of Kurds who have migrated there from the East in recent years, as well as the building of a common, inclusive identity as a city. The city once boasted a distinctive culture – the subject of novels by authors as diverse as Yaşar Kemal and Amin Maalouf.   The loss of economic status has undermined the city’s sense of confidence and it has yet to develop a civic culture that would transcend sectarian and ethnic divides.
On the election hustings, unemployment is the burning topic. All the candidates propose the same solution: to  exploit the city’s tourism potential, particularly towards the south along the Karataş coast. Though the Adana summer season lasts longer than in Antalya (Turkey’s main resort  a ten hour drive due west)  the city’s nearby beaches have not attracted their fair share of investment. Other potential projects  have been similarly neglected including turning the city’s rich historical fabric into visitors’ attractions and branding the rich Adana cuisine as worth the detour  in the way pioneered by Gaziantep.
Local politics in Adana has been dominated by Aytaç Durak, who has won five separate mayoral races between 1984 and 2009  having stood for three different parties.  He was not re-selected by the ruling Justice and Development party in 2009 but won the election for the National Action Party (MHP).  His was suspended from office pending investigation of alleged misuse of office which prevents him from standing again this time., “The Prime Minister always talks about the ‘national will’ at his rallies. For four years, he has completely disregarded Adana’s national will,” Durak tells his supporters. He has thrown his support behind the MHP  candidate in coming poll.
That candidate is Hüseyin Sözlü, currently mayor of Ceyhan (one of the larger districts in the province of Adana), a colorful personality with a personal following throughout the city. With the 20% of the vote which the MHP won in Adana province in the last election – as well as Durak’s support – Sözlü must be the candidate to beat. Sözlü’s avoidance of divisive rhetoric, and his pledges to carry out policies which will be inclusive of the city’s Kurdish and Arab Alawite populations all work in his favour.
Yıldıray Arıkan, the Republican People’s Party (CHP)  mayor of the district of Çukurova, is making a strong bid to become the greater municipal mayor. To win, the  CHP must boost its share of the vote – currently in the 30% range – to 40%. The incumbent, is acting mayor Zihni Aldırmaz of the AKP who could benefit from his rivals splitting the vote. However he too may see some of his support drift to the rival rightwing MHP as a result of the corruption scandal in which the national AKP is embroiled.
 
All in all, we are promised a closely fought contest. 

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