Burcu Köksal
{{Short description|Turkish politician (born 1980)}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Burcu Köksal
| image = Burcu Köksal.jpg
| imagesize = 220 px
| office1 = Mayor of Afyonkarahisar
| term_start1 = 3 April 2024
| term_end1 =
| predecessor1 = Mehmet Zeybek
| successor1 =
| office2 = Deputy Parliamentary Group Leader of the Republican People's Party
| term_start2 = 3 June 2023
| term_end2 = 3 April 2024
| leader2 = Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu
Özgür Özel
| predecessor2 = Engin Altay
| successor2 = Murat Emir
| office3 = {{GNAT MP}}
| term_start3 = 7 June 2015
| term_end3 = 3 April 2024
| constituency3 = Afyonkarahisar (June 2015, Nov 2015, 2018, 2023)
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1980|01|18}}
| birth_place = Afyonkarahisar, Turkey
| occupation = Politician
| profession =
| alma_mater = Istanbul University
| party = Republican People's Party (2015–2018, 2018–present)
| spouse = {{marriage|Yasin Köksal|2015}}
| website =
| otherparty = Good Party (2018)
| children = 1
}}
Burcu Köksal (born 18 January 1980) is a Turkish politician from the Republican People's Party (CHP), who is currently the Mayor of Afyonkarahisar. She previously served as a Member of Parliament for Afyonkarahisar from 7 June 2015 until she was elected mayor in 2024.
Early life and career
Burcu Köksal was born on 18 January 1980 to a family of teachers in Afyonkarahisar. She completed her primary and secondary education in Afyonkarahisar and graduated from Istanbul University Faculty of Law. She has been a lawyer in Afyonkarahisar since 8 March 2004.{{cite web|url=https://www.haberler.com/burcu-kayikci/biyografisi/|title=Biyografi|publisher=Haberler.com|accessdate=25 July 2015}}
She took part in Ataturkist Thought Association, Afyonkarahisar Branch of Association for the Support of Contemporary Life and Consumer Protection Association.{{cite news|access-date=4 July 2023 |date=4 June 2023 |first=Arif Enes |language=tr |last=Durak |title=Burcu Köksal CHP'nin Grup Başkan Vekili oldu |url=https://egesaati.com.tr/burcu-koksal-chpnin-grup-baskan-vekili-oldu/ |work=Ege Saati}}
Political career
Koksal served as President of the Republican People's Party (CHP) Afyonkarahisar Women's Branch in 2007. Köksal contested CHP preselection for the June 2015 general election, beating incumbent CHP MP Ahmet Toptaş for the first place list position,{{cite web|url=https://www.haberler.com/afyonkarahisar-da-ilk-sirada-burcu-kayikci-yer-7133785-haberi/|title=Afyonkarahisar'da İlk Sırada Burcu Kayıkçı Yer Aldı|date=29 March 2015|accessdate=11 December 2020}} and was subsequently elected as the lone CHP Member of Parliament for Afyonkarahisar.{{cite web|url=http://secim.haberler.com/2015/afyon-secim-sonuclari/|title=Seçim sonuçları|publisher=Haberler.com|accessdate=25 July 2015}} She was narrowly re-elected in the snap November 2015 elections.{{cite web|url=https://www.yenisafak.com/secim-2015-kasim/afyonkarahisar-ili-secim-sonuclari|title=Afyonkarahisar Kasım 2015 Genel Seçimi Sonuçları|accessdate=13 January 2021}}
Köksal was one of 15 CHP deputies to join the Good Party on 21 April 2018 to make the party eligible to contest the 2018 election.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/15-chp-mps-quit-and-join-iyi-party-to-secure-its-participation-in-snap-election-130692|title = 15 CHP MPS quit and join Good Party to secure its participation in snap election - Turkey News| date=22 April 2018 }} She retained first place on the CHP party list for Afyonkarahisar in the 2018 Elections and was re-elected.{{Cite web |url=http://www.afyonkarahisar.com.tr/yazar-2692-tamam_mi__devam_mi_.html |title=İsmai̇l Akar - Tamam Mi Devam Mi ? |access-date=2018-05-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180511012450/http://www.afyonkarahisar.com.tr/yazar-2692-tamam_mi__devam_mi_.html |archive-date=2018-05-11 |url-status=dead }}
She was a member of the Turkish Grand National Assembly Presidency Council for the first half of the 27th Parliament of Turkey{{Citation needed|date=December 2020}}
Köksal was renominated for the first place list position for Afyonkarahisar for the 2023 elections, and was re-elected.{{cite web|url=https://www.birgun.net/haber/2023-afyon-chp-milletvekili-adaylari-iste-chp-afyon-milletvekili-adaylari-428473|title=2023 Afyon CHP Milletvekili adayları|accessdate=28 May 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://www.yenisafak.com/secim-2023/afyonkarahisar-ili-secim-sonuclari|title=Afyonkarahisar Seçim Sonuçları - 14 Mayıs 2023 Genel Seçim|accessdate=28 May 2023}} She was then named a CHP deputy leader for the 28th Turkish Parliament.{{cite web|url=https://www.afyonturkeligazetesi.com/burcu-koksal-chp-nin-grup-baskan-vekili-oldu/42095//|title=BURCU KÖKSAL CHP'NİN GRUP BAŞKAN VEKİLİ OLDU|accessdate=3 June 2023}}
Köksal was selected as the CHP Mayoral candidate for Afyonkarahisar for the 2024 local elections.{{cite web|url=https://www.afyonturkeligazetesi.com/kulisler-kayniyor-burcu-koksal-kesin-aday/56964/|title=KULİSLER KAYNIYOR BURCU KÖKSAL KESİN ADAY|accessdate=4 April 2024}} During the campaign, she attracted controversy for saying the doors of Afyonkarahar would be open to everyone except members of the Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party. Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu called on her to resign her candidacy or join a different party. As a result of her remarks, the CHP sent a non-discrimination pledge to all their mayoral candidates and required them to sign it.{{cite web|url=https://www.duvarenglish.com/criticism-grows-for-chp-mayoral-candidate-from-within-party-over-discriminatory-remark-against-pro-kurdish-dem-news-63960|title=Criticism grows for CHP mayoral candidate from within party over discriminatory remark against pro-Kurdish DEM|accessdate=4 April 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/chp-issues-anti-discrimination-pledge-after-koksals-remarks-191503|title=CHP issues anti-discrimination pledge after Köksal's remarks|date=11 March 2024 |accessdate=4 April 2024}}
Köksal was elected Mayor of Afyonkarahisar with 50.73% of the vote and became the first female mayor of the city. She was sworn in on 3 April 2024 and her resignation from Parliament took effect on the same day.{{cite web|url=https://www.turkishminute.com/2024/04/02/record-number-of-female-mayor-mark-historic-election-victory-for-turkish-opposition/|title=Record number of female mayors marks historic election victory for Turkish opposition|date=2 April 2024 |accessdate=4 April 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://www.gazeteduvar.com.tr/burcu-koksal-mazbatasini-aldi-haber-1681499|title=Burcu Köksal mazbatasını aldı|date=4 March 2024 |accessdate=4 April 2024}}
Personal life
On June 26, 2015, she married television programmer Yasin Köksal. Burcu Köksal has a son from her previous marriage.{{cite web|access-date=4 July 2023 |archive-date=4 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230704124358/https://www.sozcu.com.tr/2015/gunun-icinden/chpli-vekilin-mutlu-gunu-870339/ |url-status=live |date=26 June 2015 |language=tr |title=CHP'li vekilin mutlu günü |url=https://www.sozcu.com.tr/2015/gunun-icinden/chpli-vekilin-mutlu-gunu-870339/ |work=Sözcü}}
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
- [https://www.tbmm.gov.tr/milletvekili/MilletvekiliDetay?DonemId=134155f0-c3d6-4d24-893b-f3a2ef695ae7&Id=f72877c2-dcf9-037b-e050-007f01005610 MP profile on the Grand National Assembly website]
- [https://www.afyon.bel.tr/baskan Profile on the Municipality website]
{{Afyonkarahisar MPs}}
{{Members of the 27th Turkish Parliament}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Koksal, Burcu}}
Category:Contemporary Republican People's Party (Turkey) politicians
Category:Good Party politicians
Category:Deputies of Afyonkarahisar
Category:People from Afyonkarahisar
Category:Istanbul University Faculty of Law alumni
Category:Members of the 25th Parliament of Turkey
Category:Members of the 26th Parliament of Turkey
Category:Members of the 27th Parliament of Turkey
Category:Members of the 28th Parliament of Turkey