Ekrem Imamoglu, the mayor of Istanbul, has been arrested by Turkish authorities, sparking widespread protests in Turkey’s biggest city.
Imamoglu, who was likely to be the presidential candidate for the secular Republican People’s Party (CHP) ahead of elections in 2028, has been accused of corruption and aiding terror groups. According to reports, about 100 other people were detained amid a crackdown by authorities.
The country has also severely limited access to various forms of social media. These arrests come after months of harassment of the political opposition. Imamoglu rose to prominence after he won the race to become the mayor of Istanbul in 2019, beating the candidate endorsed by Turkish leader, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The mayor of Istanbul is widely considered to be the second-most-important position in Turkish politics after the Turkish president. Imamoglu was re-elected as mayor in 2024 and is widely seen as the most potent opposition figure to face Erdogan, who has ruled Turkey since 2003.
Imamoglu was also likely to be anointed as the presidential candidate for the CHP, with the party holding primary elections this week, with all Imamoglu’s opponents having withdrawn.
The crackdown saw the Turkish lira and stock market tumble. However, Turkey, with its large army and well-developed armaments industry, is playing an increasingly important role, especially in terms of European security in a world that has become more chaotic over the past few years. On social media Imamoglu was defiant, saying: “We are facing a great tyranny, but I want you to know that I will not back down.”
[Image: Serkan Yakın and https://www.sekoloji.com/detay/, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=145570514]\