Erdogan's main challenger arrested – "a coup attempt"
Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu has been arrested by police, reports AP. The main opposition party, the CHP, which Imamoglu represents, calls it "a coup attempt against our next president".
Imamoglu is seen as the likely challenger to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the next presidential election in Turkey. The night's police raid comes just days before the CHP begins primary elections to select its presidential candidate.
Imamoglu is accused of corruption, among other things, and in recent years he has been the subject of a number of legal cases.
54-year-old Imamoglu was elected mayor of Istanbul in 2019, which was considered a heavy blow to Erdogan, whose party, the AKP, has long ruled the city of millions. The AKP claimed that there had been irregularities and the election was rerun. Even then, Imamoglu won.
Arrested just days before primary elections: “Erdogan has deviated from democracy”
Turkey’s opposition leader Özgür Özel is strongly critical of the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu by police. This is reported by Reuters.
Özel says that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has “deviated from democracy” and is taking away the Turkish people’s opportunity to choose who they want to represent them.
– If democracy were a train, Erdogan is only on board as long as it suits him. Now he has got off that train and joined the ranks of the coup plotters, Özel says according to the news agency.
Imamoglu represents the largest opposition party CHP and is one of President Erdogan’s biggest rivals.
Imamoglu is accused of corruption, among other things. The arrest comes just days before the CHP is to choose its presidential candidate for the next presidential election, which is to be held no later than 2028.
Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu has been arrested by police, reports AP. The main opposition party, the CHP, which Imamoglu represents, calls it "a coup attempt against our next president".
Imamoglu is seen as the likely challenger to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the next presidential election in Turkey. The night's police raid comes just days before the CHP begins primary elections to select its presidential candidate.
Imamoglu is accused of corruption, among other things, and in recent years he has been the subject of a number of legal cases.
54-year-old Imamoglu was elected mayor of Istanbul in 2019, which was considered a heavy blow to Erdogan, whose party, the AKP, has long ruled the city of millions. The AKP claimed that there had been irregularities and the election was rerun. Even then, Imamoglu won.
Arrested just days before primary elections: “Erdogan has deviated from democracy”
Turkey’s opposition leader Özgür Özel is strongly critical of the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu by police. This is reported by Reuters.
Özel says that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has “deviated from democracy” and is taking away the Turkish people’s opportunity to choose who they want to represent them.
– If democracy were a train, Erdogan is only on board as long as it suits him. Now he has got off that train and joined the ranks of the coup plotters, Özel says according to the news agency.
Imamoglu represents the largest opposition party CHP and is one of President Erdogan’s biggest rivals.
Imamoglu is accused of corruption, among other things. The arrest comes just days before the CHP is to choose its presidential candidate for the next presidential election, which is to be held no later than 2028.
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