Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has escalated his efforts to tighten his grip on power by detaining dozens of policemen who arrested opposition candidate Ekrem Imamoglu, just days before he was set to be designated as the presidential candidate. Critics say this move is a ploy to abort Mr. Imamoglu’s presidential campaign and erode Turkey’s democracy.
Analysts warn that if Mr. Erdogan succeeds in preventing Mr. Imamoglu from running for president, it could put Turkey on a path towards becoming an authoritarian state similar to Russia, Belarus, or Azerbaijan. The opposition says that barring Mr. Imamoglu from the election would undermine the democratic process and lead to a full-blown crisis.
Mr. Erdogan has dominated Turkish politics since 2003 and has overseen tremendous economic growth. However, his critics say he has solidified his control by eroding Turkish democracy and co-opting the media to limit negative coverage. The current president’s second term ends in 2024, but it is unclear whether he will run again.
The move against Mr. Imamoglu follows a series of recent government moves against perceived critics. The authorities have arrested journalists, business leaders, and district mayors on charges of corruption and terrorism. The opposition has vowed to proceed with the primary to name Mr. Imamoglu as its presidential candidate despite the government’s efforts to restrict public demonstrations.
Turkey’s democratic institutions are under threat, and the international community should be watching this situation closely.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/22/world/middleeast/turkey-erdogan-democracy-istanbul-mayor-detention.html