Erdogan’s rival Imamoglu held on charges of corruption

Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu has been detained on charges of corruption, and it has unleashed protests in the city. He is seen as the chief rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Their rivalry has been brewing for decades now.

Imamoglu supporters say that the charges are politically motivated. In an interesting parallel, Imamoglu’s political career is resembling that of Erdogan, who gained national prominence as mayor of Istanbul before becoming the president.

Like Erdogan, Imamoglu also comes from the Black Sea region of Turkey. Imamoglu represents the secularist Republican People’s Party (CHP), which is opposed to the religion-based politics of Erdogan and his Welfare and Justice Party (AKP), and he is set to challenge Erdogan in the presidential election in 2028.

But Imamoglu faces many cases, including one saying that his business administration degree from Istanbul University is forged. The case is pending and if it is upheld, then Imamoglu would be disqualified from the presidential contest.

Erdogan has now been in power for more than two decades and the opposition parties have not been able to put up a candidate who can challenge him at the national level. This is the first time in many years that Imamoglu has emerged as a leader who could rival Erdogan’s popularity.

Imamoglu’s first electoral victory as mayor of Istanbul was declared invalid in 2019, but he won the re-election with a greater margin than in the first round. He was re-elected mayor of Istanbul again in 2024. And his base is seen to be lying beyond the secular base and in the hinterland as well, which is also the base of Erdogan.

Imamoglu’s challenge is very clearly stated. He is countering the dominance of Erdogan in Turkish politics. The alternative that Imamoglu is offering is, in his own words, “It is consigning a mentality to history. If it is consigned to history, democracy will revive, and law and justice will recover.”

This is a general challenge couched in language of political ideas and rhetoric. Whether he will make the dent in Erdogan’s base is to be seen, but he emerges as a clear challenger to whom the general public can relate.

Erdogan has been in an unchallenged position in Turkish politics for more than 20 years, and it is not surprising that there is a certain falling off in his popularity after these many years which was reflected in a narrow margin of his victory in the presidential election the last time round.

Imamoglu appears to be the man who is in a position to pick up the baton of leadership in Turkey. Of course, it is too early to say whether Imamoglu can pull off the challenge. But the fact that there has emerged a challenger to Erdogan on the political horizon seems to be a significant development, and a natural one as well.

For more than 20 years before the emergence of Erdogan on the Turkish political stage, the secular parties backed by the military upheld the secular ideology of Ataturk. But it got overturned by Erdogan and his party, the AKP.

Perhaps, now the time has come to challenge the ideology of Erdogan and his party of pushing religion in politics which does not benefit people in any way – economically, socially or culturally.

In the new century, people are looking to new horizons. So the challenge of Imamoglu to Erdogan is a sign of the times. Even if Imamoglu fails, the challenge to Erdogan remains. And that is how nations and democracies go forward. They do not get stuck with parties, ideologies or personalities. So, Turkey is on the cusp of political change.