Erdogan Opponent Arrested, Secures Presidential Nomination
Nearly 15 million people have voted for Ekrem Imamoglu as the Republican People’s Party’s candidate in Türkiye’s 2028 election. Ekrem Imamoglu, the former mayor of Istanbul who is currently jailed, has received the opposition party’s presidential...
TroibNews 
Nearly 15 million people have voted for Ekrem Imamoglu as the Republican People’s Party’s candidate in Türkiye’s 2028 election.
Ekrem Imamoglu, the former mayor of Istanbul who is currently jailed, has received the opposition party’s presidential nomination for the 2028 election, as announced by the Republican People’s Party (CHP) on Sunday.
CHP chairman Ozgur Ozel reported that almost 15 million votes were cast in the party’s primaries in favor of Imamoglu’s candidacy, despite his arrest earlier this week.
“The number of votes Mr. Ekrem Imamoglu received from our members and the solidarity ballot box is over 14.8 million,” Ozel stated at a rally in Istanbul.
This vote took place just hours after Imamoglu was officially arrested and suspended from his duties. He was detained on Wednesday amid a broad corruption investigation and is facing charges that include extortion, bribery, and alleged connections to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party, which Türkiye considers a terrorist organization. Imamoglu has refuted all accusations.
The CHP has condemned Imamoglu’s detention as a “coup attempt,” contending that the allegations are designed to remove Erdogan’s leading opponent prior to the upcoming election. The party conducted internal primaries across the country to measure support for Imamoglu, while also allowing the public to participate via “solidarity boxes.” Ozel mentioned that the high voter turnout necessitated extending voting hours and printing additional ballots.
“You saw it. There were not enough ballots to vote, not enough envelopes to put them in, not enough hours to vote,” he remarked, describing the turnout as “the strongest response” to what the party views as a politically motivated prosecution.
Ozel formally announced Imamoglu’s nomination and called on Erdogan to initiate early elections, asserting that Sunday’s results “questioned [Erdogan’s] legitimacy.” He insisted that “early presidential elections are now inevitable.”
A party spokesman confirmed to AFP on Monday that Imamoglu would indeed be the CHP’s candidate for the 2028 election.
Imamoglu’s arrest has triggered significant unrest throughout Türkiye. Large-scale protests erupted in various major cities, including Istanbul and Ankara, with demonstrators confronting riot police. Authorities have reported the arrest of over 300 individuals as of Sunday morning. Online videos depict police employing water cannons, pepper spray, and rubber bullets to disperse the crowds.
Lucas Dupont for TROIB News
Ekrem Imamoglu, the former mayor of Istanbul who is currently jailed, has received the opposition party’s presidential nomination for the 2028 election, as announced by the Republican People’s Party (CHP) on Sunday.
CHP chairman Ozgur Ozel reported that almost 15 million votes were cast in the party’s primaries in favor of Imamoglu’s candidacy, despite his arrest earlier this week.
“The number of votes Mr. Ekrem Imamoglu received from our members and the solidarity ballot box is over 14.8 million,” Ozel stated at a rally in Istanbul.
This vote took place just hours after Imamoglu was officially arrested and suspended from his duties. He was detained on Wednesday amid a broad corruption investigation and is facing charges that include extortion, bribery, and alleged connections to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party, which Türkiye considers a terrorist organization. Imamoglu has refuted all accusations.
The CHP has condemned Imamoglu’s detention as a “coup attempt,” contending that the allegations are designed to remove Erdogan’s leading opponent prior to the upcoming election. The party conducted internal primaries across the country to measure support for Imamoglu, while also allowing the public to participate via “solidarity boxes.” Ozel mentioned that the high voter turnout necessitated extending voting hours and printing additional ballots.
“You saw it. There were not enough ballots to vote, not enough envelopes to put them in, not enough hours to vote,” he remarked, describing the turnout as “the strongest response” to what the party views as a politically motivated prosecution.
Ozel formally announced Imamoglu’s nomination and called on Erdogan to initiate early elections, asserting that Sunday’s results “questioned [Erdogan’s] legitimacy.” He insisted that “early presidential elections are now inevitable.”
A party spokesman confirmed to AFP on Monday that Imamoglu would indeed be the CHP’s candidate for the 2028 election.
Imamoglu’s arrest has triggered significant unrest throughout Türkiye. Large-scale protests erupted in various major cities, including Istanbul and Ankara, with demonstrators confronting riot police. Authorities have reported the arrest of over 300 individuals as of Sunday morning. Online videos depict police employing water cannons, pepper spray, and rubber bullets to disperse the crowds.
Lucas Dupont for TROIB News
