Imamoglu, the detained Istanbul mayor seen as Erdogan’s key rival

By Ece Toksabay

ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey detained Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu connected Wednesday connected charges specified arsenic graft and aiding a violent group, a measurement the main absorption enactment criticised arsenic a "coup effort against the adjacent president".

A starring fig successful the absorption Republican People's Party (CHP), Imamoglu, has agelong been seen arsenic President Tayyip Erdogan's astir formidable rival.

His entreaty beyond his secular party's accepted basal has propelled him onto the nationalist stage, making him a competitory contender, whom the CHP was expected to sanction arsenic its campaigner for president successful the adjacent election.

Wednesday's detention, on with charges of starring a transgression organisation, bribery, and tender rigging, escalates a governmental showdown that could signifier Turkey's future.

Despite his ineligible troubles, Imamoglu has vowed to support fighting. "I volition not springiness up," helium said successful a video connection connected X.

Imamoglu's emergence successful authorities has drawn parallels to Erdogan's ain trajectory, arsenic some person led Istanbul, hail from Turkey's Black Sea region, and encountered ineligible barriers that threatened their governmental futures.

Born successful 1971 successful the Black Sea state of Trabzon, Imamoglu studied concern medication astatine Istanbul University earlier entering his family's operation business.

He joined the CHP successful 2008 and became politician of Istanbul's Beylikduzu territory successful 2014.

In 2019, helium delivered Erdogan's ruling AK Party (AKP) its biggest decision successful 2 decades by winning Istanbul's mayoral race, not once, but twice.

A tribunal annulled his archetypal victory, lone for him to triumph the re-run predetermination by an adjacent wider margin. And successful 2024, helium secured re-election contempt a fractured absorption alliance.

Imamoglu has framed his governmental battles arsenic a combat for democracy. "This is much than a mayoral election," helium said past year.

"It is consigning a mentality to history. If it is consigned to history, ideology volition revive, and instrumentality and justness volition recover."

LEGAL SETBACKS

Imamoglu has faced ineligible challenges passim his career, being sentenced successful 2022 to 2-1/2 years successful situation for insulting nationalist officials, though an appeals tribunal has yet to regularisation successful the case.

Another lawsuit past twelvemonth accused him of tender-rigging. His supporters presumption these charges arsenic politically motivated attempts to sideline him, a assertion Erdogan and the AKP deny.

The latest charges are the astir serious. The Istanbul prosecutor's bureau has said 100 people, including journalists and businessmen, are suspected of engagement successful corrupt municipal tenders.

Another probe accuses Imamoglu and six others of aiding the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), considered a violent organisation by Turkey and its Western allies.

Adding to the pressure, Istanbul University annulled Imamoglu’s grade this week. If the determination is upheld by a court, it could artifact him from moving successful the 2028 statesmanlike elections.

However, if Erdogan seeks to tally again, the ballot whitethorn beryllium held earlier.

In effect to increasing tension, the Istanbul governor’s bureau imposed a four-day prohibition connected protests and nationalist gatherings.

Despite what Immoglu calls persistent obstacles from Ankara, helium has touted his administration’s achievements successful Istanbul, a metropolis of 16 cardinal that drives Turkey’s economy.

His rivalry with Erdogan dates backmost decades, to a acold humbler setting. In the mid-1990s, aft Erdogan became mayor, helium visited a meatball edifice that Imamoglu was moving successful Istanbul’s territory of Gungoren.

"I hosted him," Imamoglu erstwhile recalled. "He ate meatballs successful my restaurant. I didn't instrumentality his money. He won't wage that measure arsenic agelong arsenic helium lives."

(Writing by Ece Toksabay; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)