Why a mayor’s arrest has led to thousands of people protesting in Turkey

Despite restrictions on public gatherings, thousands gathered outside the Istanbul municipality building and the main courthouse on Saturday. At least 323 people have been detained by the police. Here is what to know.

Who is Ekrem Imamoglu?

Imamoglu, 54, is seen as Erdogan’s main political rival in Turkey at the moment. As part of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), the main opposition party, he has frequently criticised the ruling government. Notably, CHP was founded by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the first president and founder of the modern Turkish republic.

Almost exactly a year ago, CHP registered a significant victory in local elections, winning the municipalities of 36 of Turkey’s 81 provinces. It also registered mayoral victories in the country’s five largest cities, including Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Bursa, and Antalya. The elections were seen as a de facto referendum on Erdogan because he played a central role in the campaign.

Erdogan has ruled Turkey for over 20 years and has been accused of perpetrating its slide into authoritarianism, alongside the Islamisation of what was founded as a secular republic. Some global commentators have described its elections as “free, but not fair” owing to restricted media, incarceration of opposition leaders and other limitations. Therefore, Imamoglu’s arrest is being seen as part of a larger downward trend.

While Erdogan has rejected such allegations and continued enjoying support from rural, middle-class Muslims, the deepening crisis of the Turkish economy has resulted in some erosion of his popularity in recent years.

In this context, Imamoglu has emerged as a popular leader and enjoys support from various groups, such as the Kurd ethnic community and secular voters. He was elected Istanbul’s mayor in 2019, ending 25 years of Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) control.

He has also faced other cases in the past and claimed they are politically motivated. According to an Associated Press report, a university nullified his diploma earlier this week, citing alleged irregularities in his transfer from a private university in northern Cyprus some 30 years ago. The decision effectively bars him from running for president, since the position requires candidates to be university graduates.

And what is the situation in Turkey now?

In a post on X on Saturday, Imamoglu wrote against the corruption charges he now faces, saying, “This blow they dealt to the will of the people through us is putting our economy, which they have been devastating for years, and the future of Türkiye in greater danger. Because of this political coup, our country’s economy has been melting away even more for three days.” He further called for the nation to “defeat this coup”.

Imamoglu was set to be declared the opposition presidential candidate on Sunday for the next Turkish elections following an internal party vote. Although no general election is scheduled until 2028, polls could be held earlier if Erdogan hopes to contest, since he would have reached the term limit by then.

The court said Imamoglu and at least 20 others were jailed as part of a corruption investigation, allegations which he has denied. Politico reported outgoing German Chancellor Olaf Scholz as saying Imamoglu’s detention was “a very, very bad sign” for Turkey’s democracy and relations with the European Union.

Turkey matters to the world due to its location and the stability that Erdogan’s regime has enjoyed, amid recent crises in Syria and war in Europe. With European countries looking to Turkey for support amid the Ukraine-Russia war and the US political establishment more focused on domestic politics under Donald Trump, there are few expectations of strong international reactions against Erdogan.