The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) has officially declared the now-suspended İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu as its presidential candidate, following a party primary held on Mar 23.
The decision was finalized during a meeting of the CHP Party Assembly held today under the leadership of party chair Özgür Özel. Alongside İmamoğlu’s nomination, the assembly also approved holding an extraordinary congress on Apr 6.
İmamoğlu was preparing to enter the primary as the sole candidate when he was detained on Mar 19 and subsequently arrested on Mar 23 as part of a corruption investigation. He was suspended from his post as mayor on the same day.
Despite his arrest, the CHP primary proceeded as scheduled on Mar 23. In a symbolic show of solidarity with İmamoğlu, the CHP invited not only party members but the broader public to cast votes. The party claimed that 15.5 million people participated in the primary, a figure that would represent roughly one in four eligible voters in Turkey. The number has not been independently verified. Turkey's next presidential election is scheduled for 2028.
On Mar 26, the İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality Council, where the CHP holds a majority, elected Deputy Mayor Nuri Aslan, also a CHP member, as acting mayor.
The CHP’s 21st Extraordinary Congress is set to take place on Apr 6. Following İmamoğlu's detention, Özel announced the party would hold an early congress to prevent the possibility of a government-appointed trustee taking over the CHP.
CHP calls emergency congress to 'prevent government takeover'
The move comes amid an ongoing investigation into alleged procedural irregularities during the CHP’s November 2023 congress, where Özel was elected party leader. That inquiry could potentially lead to the annulment of the congress and the appointment of a temporary trustee to oversee the party.
Özel defeated longtime party leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu in that congress, following a leadership change campaign spearheaded by İmamoğlu in the wake of Kılıçdaroğlu’s loss to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in the 2023 presidential election. İmamoğlu had publicly backed Özel in the leadership race.
Background
İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and dozens of others, most of them municipal officials, were detained in police raids on the morning of Mar 19. The operation came just days before İmamoğlu was expected to be declared the Republican People’s Party (CHP) candidate in the party’s presidential primary scheduled for Mar 23.
Authorities have launched two separate investigations involving a total of 106 suspects. One centers on terrorism-related charges, while the other involves alleged corruption.
The terrorism probe focuses on the CHP’s cooperation with the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party during last year’s local elections. The two parties collaborated at the district level, with DEM refraining from fielding candidates in some areas to support the CHP, while in other districts, DEM members ran on CHP lists and were elected to municipal councils. This strategy, dubbed the “urban consensus,” helped the CHP win 26 out of İstanbul’s 39 district municipalities and secure a majority in the metropolitan council.
Prosecutors allege that this alliance was orchestrated by the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), citing public statements by PKK leaders during the campaign urging cooperation with the opposition. The first arrest linked to the investigation was Esenyurt Mayor Ahmet Özer, a Kurdish academic, who was jailed and removed from office in January. Ten more officials from six district municipalities were arrested in February. The investigation has since expanded to include İmamoğlu.
The corruption investigation, which affects 100 of the 106 suspects, involves allegations of bribery, embezzlement, fraud, and bid rigging in municipal subsidiaries. İmamoğlu is accused of leading a criminal organization for profit.
The CHP has described the operation as a "coup" against an elected mayor and called for public demonstrations. Saraçhane Square, in front of the metropolitan municipality building, has become the focal point of protests, where CHP leader Özgür Özel addressed large crowds for seven nights straight until Mar 25.
University students also staged protests and class boycotts in various cities, most notably in İstanbul and Ankara.
Authorities imposed internet restrictions on the morning of İmamoğlu’s detention, severely slowing access to major social media and messaging platforms. The bandwidth throttling, which rendered many apps nearly unusable, lasted for around 42 hours.
Additionally, the Interior Ministry has detained numerous individuals over protest-related posts on social media. Court orders have blocked access to various leftist and student group accounts.
On Mar 23, İmamoğlu was remanded in custody on corruption-related charges while the court ruled an arrest for terrorism-related charges was not necessary. He was also suspended from his position.
A total of 51 people were remanded in custody, 48 on accusations related to financial misconduct and three to terrorism. Forty-eight other suspects were released on judicial control measures.
On the same day, the CHP held its previously scheduled primary, calling for not only the party members but the entire public to vote for İmamoğlu, who was the sole candidate in the primary. The party later claimed that more than 15 million people cast their votes across the country, showing support for İmamoğlu. On Mar 27, İmamoğlu was formally declared the party presidential candidate for the next election, scheduled for 2028.
İmamoğlu was replaced as the mayor through an internal election within the city council, where the CHP has a majority. Nuri Aslan, a CHP member was elected the acting mayor on Mar 26.
Explained: The broader context behind Turkey’s crackdown on İstanbul mayor
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