Mayor of Istanbul

The mayor of Istanbul is the head of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality. The mayor is elected popularly every five years. Nuri Aslan has served as interim mayor of Istanbul since 26 March 2025.

This article covers the Ottoman Empire to the modern day Republic of Turkey, during the Ottoman period and in the Republican era until c. 1930.

In the Ottoman Empire, the duty of municipal government was the responsibility of the "Şehremini", a mayor-like leader, and local religious judges, "Kadı".

The first mayor of Istanbul after the conquest on May 29, 1453 was Hızırbey Çelebi. Until 1858, the capital of the Ottoman Empire was governed by a total of 422 kadis.

The idea to establish a municipality organization based on Western standards was first discussed in 1854 during the Crimean War when diplomats and journalists of allied nations came to Constantinople. Later, the parliament accepted a law for the establishment of the office of a mayor and a city council.

Salih Paşa received the first title of the new, modern Şehremini on July 13, 1858, and governed until November 4, 1858. During the Tanzimat period, 18 mayors took office.

In 1876, as First constitutional monarchy was proclaimed, Kadri Paşa was the mayor of Istanbul. During this period 10 mayors governed Istanbul.

During the reign of Young Turks, between 1908–1918 and until the foundation of the republic, 23 mayors served in the capital.