Mass protests/Photo: Getty images
On Wednesday, 19 March 2025, mass protests gripped Istanbul and other cities across Turkey in response to the arrest of the metropolis’ opposition mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu, who is widely seen as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s main rival in the upcoming elections. The streets erupted in anger despite a strict four-day moratorium on rallies issued by the Istanbul governor and the presence of hundreds of police officers who cordoned off key points in the city, from City Hall to Taksim Square.
Street pulse
Thousands of people gathered outside City Hall, the police station where Imamoglu is being held, and Istanbul University, notorious for its decision to cancel the mayor’s degree before his arrest. The lack of a university degree, a formal barrier to presidential ambitions under the Turkish constitution, has become a convenient tool in the hands of the authorities. The protesters, however, see this not just as a bureaucratic manoeuvre, but as a political reprisal. On the university campus, students clashed with police, who used tear gas and batons to disperse the crowd. Videos from the scene went viral, adding fuel to the fire of popular outrage.
The voice of the opposition
The leader of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), Özgür Özel, speaking to the crowd outside the city hall, called the arrest a “coup attempt”. “This is not just an attack on Ekrem Imamoglu, it is a blow to the right of the nation to choose its future,” he proclaimed, holding the microphone like a weapon. His words resonated in the hearts of those who see the 54-year-old mayor not just as a politician, but as a symbol of hope for change in a country where Erdogan has ruled for more than two decades. Imamoglu’s wife, Dilek, added to the emotional heat: “This is a planned operation to destroy the future president of Turkey. But we will not give up – this is a war for democracy.”
Pre-election chess
The arrest came just days before the CHP congress, where Imamoglu was to officially become the opposition candidate in the 2028 presidential election – or earlier if Erdogan, whose term expires that year, calls for early elections. The revocation of a diploma and accusations of corruption and links to terrorist groups is a familiar scenario in Turkish politics, where the courts are increasingly becoming a tool in the hands of the authorities. This time, however, the stakes are particularly high: Imamoğlu, who has twice defeated Erdoğan’s proteges in the mayoral elections in Istanbul (2019 and 2024), represents a real threat to the ruling AKP party.
Economic reverberations
The political storm has already had an impact on the economy: the Turkish lira fell 7% against the dollar, and Istanbul’s main stock index plunged 5%, forcing the stock exchange to temporarily suspend trading. For a country that is still recovering from inflation and economic instability, this is yet another worrying signal.
A fork in the road
With police blocking roads and protesters chanting “Erdogan out!”, Turkey is at a crossroads. Imamoglu’s arrest could either be the final triumph of autocracy or a spark that ignites a resistance movement. On Sunday, the CHP plans to endorse his candidacy no matter what, a gesture that challenges not only the police on the streets but the system itself. In this game of democracy’s survival, the winner is still unknown, but one thing is clear: Istanbul, the heart of Turkey, is beating to the rhythm of protest.
Author: Marianna Nyzhnia
