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Ahmet ARAS

MAYOR

Born on February 3rd, 1970 in Bodrum, Ahmet ARAS is the second Mayor of Muğla Metropolitan Municipality established in 2014. After completing his primary education at Cumhuriyet Primary School and Bodrum Secondary School, Ahmet ARAS took the high school entrance exams and qualified to attend the Science High School with a full scholarship. Initially enrolling in İzmir Atatürk High School, Ahmet ARAS later passed the Military High School entrance exam and chose to continue his education at Maltepe Military High School.

After graduating from Maltepe Military High School, he continued his education at the Turkish Military Academy and graduated as a Systems Engineer with the rank of Lieutenant. His professional career, which began in Konya between 1992-1993, continued in Ardahan, where he served for three years between 1993-1996 and was promoted to the rank of First Lieutenant.

In 1996, Ahmet ARAS was appointed to the Department of Bodrum Military Recruiting Office, a position that stationed him in Bodrum from 1996 to 2000. He was later appointed to the Department of Zara Military Recruiting Office in 2000, where he served until 2004, during which he was promoted to the rank of Captain.

In 2004, Ahmet Aras was appointed to the Department of Viranşehir Military Recruiting Office in Şanlıurfa, and completed this duty in 2008, achieving the rank of Major.

After this assignment, Ahmet ARAS was appointed to the Ministry of National Defence in 2008, where he served on the Ministry staff until the end of 2011. In 2012, he was appointed to the Kosovo Force (KFOR), the NATO-led multinational peacekeeping force responsible for maintaining security in Kosovo, and during this assignment, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and awarded the NATO Medal.

In 2013, Ahmet ARAS concluded his 30-year military career, during which he never had to submit a single defence, by returning to Bodrum, a place he had longed for over the years, and deciding to enter the tourism sector. After voluntarily retiring, he opened a tourism business named KEFI, located on Ortakent Beach, one of Bodrum’s heavenly corners, which operates as one of Bodrum’s most popular tourism facilities during the summer months.

After being elected as the President of the Ortakent – Yahşi Development Association in 2014, Ahmet ARAS initiated significant projects aimed at the development and promotion of Ortakent. During his presidency, events such as the Ortakent Yahşi Spring Festival, the Bitter Herb Festival, and the Turkish Wheelchair Tennis Championship were launched, contributing greatly to the promotion of both Ortakent and Bodrum.

Ahmet ARAS joined the Bodrum Lions Club in 2015 and was elected to the Board of Directors of the Bodrum Hoteliers Association (BODER) in 2016. He has also served on the Tourism Vocational Committee of the Bodrum Chamber of Commerce, the Technical Committee of the Turkish Federation of Physically Disabled Sports, and participated in numerous social responsibility projects. Additionally, he has represented Bodrum and Türkiye at various domestic and international fairs. Throughout his professional career, Ahmet ARAS has been honored with over a hundred awards, ranging from the NATO Medal to distinguished service and recognition awards.

In 2018, Ahmet ARAS, who proudly dedicated 30 years of his life to the Turkish Armed Forces founded by the Great Leader Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the commander-in-chief, made the decision to serve Bodrum and his country under the esteemed banner of Republican People’s Party (CHP). In 2019, he began his term as the 31st Mayor of Bodrum with the trust of his Party and the people of Bodrum. In the 2024 local elections, he was elected as the 2nd Metropolitan Mayor of Muğla, receiving the trust of his Party and the people of Muğla once more.



Throughout his childhood, youth, and professional career, Ahmet ARAS has given great importance on continuous education and personal development. In line with his political career, he continued his education in the field of politics by pursuing a Master’s degree in Political Science and Public Administration at the Institute of Social Sciences of Kastamonu University. Proficient in English, he is also an enthusiast of swimming, pentathlon, skiing, diving, sailing, and tennis. Ahmet ARAS is the father of two daughters, aged 13 and 23.