Imamoglu, the detained Istanbul mayor seen as Erdogan’s key rival

19/3/2025 16:10

Turkey detained Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu on Wednesday on charges such as graft and aiding a terrorist group, a step the main opposition party criticised as a "coup attempt against the next president".



A leading figure in the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), Imamoglu, has long been seen as President Tayyip Erdogan's most formidable rival.



His appeal beyond his secular party's traditional base has propelled him onto the national stage, making him a competitive contender, whom the CHP was expected to name as its candidate for president in the next election.



Wednesday's detention, along with charges of leading a crime organisation, bribery, and tender rigging, escalates a political showdown that could shape Turkey's future.



Despite his legal troubles, Imamoglu has vowed to keep fighting. "I will not give up," he said in a video message on X.