Shortly After Posting, Çelik Removed the Social Media Update in Türkiye

Mahmut Mert Çelik, the head of the ruling AKP's youth wing in Denizli, Turkey, sparked controversy after posting a photo of an expensive Rolex watch he received as a gift from a prominent businessman. The post, which he later deleted, drew sharp criticism from a rival political party's youth organization. Çelik, who serves as the AKP Denizli Youth Branch Chairman, shared the luxury timepiece on social media, thanking Mehmet Kalyoncu, a board member of Kalyon Holding, for the gift.

In his post, Çelik wrote, "Thank you to my esteemed elder brother Mehmet Kalyoncu. The watch, a Rolex brand, is reported to sell for over 800,000 Turkish liras even on the second-hand market. Shortly after posting, Çelik removed the social media update.

The deletion came after the youth branch of the YENİ Party in Denizli responded with a video message criticizing the display of wealth. In the video, the YENİ Party youth wing addressed young people involved in the AKP's youth organization, saying, "We call on our young brothers and sisters trying to do politics within AK Youth: You are not condemned to an understanding of politics that is disconnected from the people, that does not care about your livelihood and future concerns. Distance yourselves from this understanding that Mahmut Mert Çelik represents in Denizli.