The mayor of Istanbul is President Erdogan’s primary opponent and was poised to be chosen as the opposition nominee for the upcoming presidential elections. However, just prior to this nomination, Ekrem Imamoglu was detained.
Turkey’s most prominent politician, Ekrem Imamoglu appears laid-back yet articulate and modern. He excels at connecting with various segments of society and strives to involve all citizens in political processes. His approach emphasizes inclusivity without exclusion or provocation.
His demeanor can similarly be interpreted as a response to the approach of Turkey’s present administration. Within Turkish politics, employing condescending and offensive “us-versus-them” rhetoric against adversaries is fairly typical.
The 54-year-old's approach has significantly boosted his appeal in Turkey’s increasingly divided social landscape over the past few years. Having been elected Mayor of Istanbul in 2019, Imamoglu is now considered one of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's toughest competitors. As the leading figure of the secular Republican People's Party, known as CHP, he is slated to be their nominee for the forthcoming presidential election.
Despite his genial ways, On March 19, Imamoglu was detained due to allegations of corruption. And suspicions of terrorism. The terror-related charges have been dropped, however, a court has decided that he needs to stay in pre-trial detention.
The arrest has triggered the largest opposition protests in Turkey since the so-called Gezi protests In 2013, despite a significant police presence, thousands of individuals took to the streets nationwide to protest what they perceive as an injustice. plan to prevent Imamoglu from running for president.
Soccer, construction, meatballs
Most Turks probably hadn't come across the name Imamoglu until 2019.
Imamoglu was born in 1970 and spent his formative years in the Trabzon region. It was here that he participated in Quranic studies, receiving an early grounding in religion. Later, he pursued further education abroad in places like Cyprus and Istanbul, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration.
Prior to his political career, he owned an Istanbul eatery known for serving kofte (Turkish meatballs), as well as overseeing operations at his family’s construction firm, Imamoglu Insaat. Between 2002 and 2003, he served on the board of directors for Trabzonspor, his local favorite and among Turkey’s top-performing football teams.
In 2009, he ventured into local politics, and in 2014, took office as the mayor of Istanbul's middle-class area, Beylikduzu. The announcement by the CHP naming him as their contender for the position of Istanbul's full-city mayor was unexpected for numerous people.
Numerous backers of the opposing camp felt he stood little chance against the contender endorsed by Erdogan's Justice and Development Party, commonly known as the AKP.
Despite initially winning the local elections by a narrow margin of 13,000 votes over the AKP candidate, Imamoglu secured control of the metropolitan area that had been governed by conservative Islamists for 25 years. However, following an appeal from the AKP, Turkey’s Supreme Election Council invalidated the outcome. Three months later, Imamoglu triumphed once again but this time with a substantially larger lead of more than 800,000 votes.
In 2024, Imamoglu once again emerged victorious in the mayoral election. Both President Erdogan and the AKP were aiming for victory here, considering it crucial enough to be labeled as “the dawn of a new epoch.” This position holds particular importance for Erdogan himself since he previously served as Mayor of Ankara from 1994 to 1998. Nevertheless, Imamoglu secured an advantage exceeding nearly ten percent over his rival from the AKP, Murat Kurum.
Imamoglu also has critics
Accusations of electoral fraud, corruption, and voter intimidation have plagued elections in Turkey. Imamoglu's wins were frequently viewed as evidence that Turkish democracy remained viable and that it was possible to triumph over the progressively authoritarian AKP administration.
Certainly, Imamoglu has faced criticism as well. In 2019, when certain areas of Istanbul experienced flooding, he was on summer break and remained absent. Later, when an earthquake occurred, In 2020, Elazig province located in eastern Turkey , he toured the city alongside numerous other political figures before heading to another region of Turkey for a skiing vacation.
"It's typical for a breadwinner to take two days off for a vacation with his kids," said Imamoglu to those who criticized him.
The article was initially published in German on January 19, 2023, and was last updated on March 23, 2025.
Author: Burak Ünveren