Why does President Erdogan definitely want to retake Istanbul in local elections?
As the 2023 local elections in Turkey approach, the state of politics in the country is often a topic of significant interest on the agenda. The question of “who has a better chance of winning the upcoming elections” is frequently discussed.
Following a significant victory in the 2023 general elections, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan immediately set his sights on Istanbul and openly expressed his intention to retake the city. But, why does Erdogan want to reclaim Istanbul?
ERDOGAN’S SOLE RIVAL IS IMAMOGLU
Ekrem Imamoglu served as the mayor of Beylikduzu from 2014 to 2019. He was nominated by the Republican People’s Party (CHP) and won the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality mayoral election on April 17, 2019. However, due to objections from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and decisions by the Supreme Election Council (YSK), the Istanbul elections were annulled. Imamoglu was removed from office on May 6, 2019. In the repeat election held on June 23, 2019, Imamoglu won with strong public support, receiving his mandate on June 27, 2019. By defeating the AKP, which had been in power for many years, Imamoglu became Erdogan’s biggest rival.
ISTANBUL REMAINS ON ERDOGAN’S MIND
President Erdogan constantly expresses his desire to retake Istanbul on various occasions. The AKP also aims to regain control of many districts in Istanbul that they lost in previous elections. Erdogan’s agenda, including during presidential election campaigns, has consistently featured the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and Ekrem Imamoglu.
During a major Istanbul rally held at the ATATÜRK Airport People’s Garden, President Erdogan said, “Now, we have 2024 ahead of us. Do you understand what I mean? Are you ready to win Üsküdar and all of Istanbul in the local elections in 2024? So, there’s no stopping us.”
On the evening of the election victory, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s speech on the balcony also revolved around Ekrem Imamoglu and the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality. In his initial statement, Erdogan said, “Are you ready to take back Istanbul?”
Ekrem Imamoglu served as the mayor of Beylikduzu for a long time. After Imamoglu, the mayorship was taken over by Mehmet Murat Çalık. Imamoglu and his team worked diligently during the elections, resulting in Imamoglu securing over 51% of the vote against Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu in Istanbul, which led Erdogan to focus more on Istanbul.
WILL THERE BE A BATTLE BETWEEN ERDOGAN AND IMAMOGLU?
After two election battles with former Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım as the candidate for AK Party, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan lost the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality to Ekrem Imamoglu (running for CHP). Since 2019, Erdogan has attached particular importance to Istanbul and initiated changes in the party’s organization in Istanbul after the local elections.
Despite all these efforts, in the 2023 general elections, Erdogan received 48.27% of the vote in Istanbul against Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu (and Ekrem Imamoglu’s 51.73%). Although Erdogan achieved a victory nationwide, his emphasis on Istanbul in his balcony speech, during his swearing-in ceremony, and his initiation of the local election process on election night indicates how seriously he takes this issue.
As you may know, on November 4, 2019, Imamoglu was facing charges of insulting members of the Supreme Election Council (YSK). On December 14, 2022, the court sentenced Imamoglu to 2 years, 7 months, and 15 days in prison. If this prison sentence becomes final in the appeal and Court of Cassation stages, Ekrem Imamoglu will lose his right to vote and be elected under Article 53 of the Turkish Penal Code. So, the very critical question is “will Erdogan run against Imamoglu with another candidate, or will Imamoglu be unable to participate in the elections due to the ongoing trial?” Only time will tell – not to forget the fact that judiciary could allegedly be influenced by the administration (as expressed by many experts on many occasions).
