Rıza Akpolat was born in Istanbul in 1982 as the second child of a family of tradesmen from Erzincan.
In 2004, he graduated from Sakarya University Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences. After his graduation, he started his political life from the ground up by taking part in the Republican People’s Party Youth Branches, which he has been involved in since his university years. He served as a manager in the Republican People’s Party Istanbul Youth Branches, Bahçelievler District Vice President and District President, and then as Istanbul Provincial Deputy Chairman. During this time, he had the opportunity to closely examine local governments.
He opened a new window to his political life in Beşiktaş with the idea that local democracy, the principle of subsidiarity and local governments are of great importance in order to ensure social development. He was elected as the Mayor of Beşiktaş with record votes in both 2019 and 2024.
Beşiktaş, which has one of the most important urban identities of Turkey with its historical and cultural accumulation and heritage from the Ottoman Empire to the Republic, is the apple of our country’s and Istanbul’s eye with nearly 3 million daily visitors and nearly 185 thousand residents. Akpolat continues to work as the Mayor of Beşiktaş in line with the national and international vision that will prepare Beşiktaş, one of our country’s windows to the world, for the future in every aspect. He was also the first mayor to be elected as the president of the Union of Bosphorus Municipalities on behalf of his party in the elections held in 2024.