Turkey’s opposition nominates jailed Istanbul mayor as presidential candidate

Turkey’s main opposition party, the Republican People’s Party (CHP), has officially nominated the imprisoned mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem Imamoglu, as its presidential candidate, intensifying political tensions in the country.

The decision, announced on Sunday, followed a primary in which the party claimed 15 million citizens – about a quarter of Turkey’s electorate – participated, with 13.2 million backing Imamoglu. The CHP’s chairman, Özgür Özel, has called on President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to hold early elections and directly challenge Imamoglu at the polls.

Imamoglu, 54, one of Turkey’s most prominent opposition figures, was arrested on March 19 on charges of corruption and is also under investigation for allegedly supporting terrorism. A Turkish court ordered his pretrial detention on March 23, and he has been removed from his position as mayor of Istanbul.

The charges against Imamoglu have been met with widespread criticism, with many viewing his arrest as a politically motivated move by the Erdogan government to sideline a formidable opponent ahead of the 2028 elections. Imamoglu has vehemently denied all allegations.
His arrest has sparked mass protests across the country.

Demonstrations involving thousands erupted on March 19, and Turkish authorities have since detained hundreds of protesters.

Further controversy arose on March 17 when Istanbul University revoked Imamoglu’s degree at the request of the Turkish Attorney General’s Office, which questioned its legitimacy. Under Turkish law, only candidates with a university degree are eligible to run for president, raising concerns that Imamoglu may be disqualified from the race.