President Recep Tayyip Erdogan faced significant political challenges at the beginning of the year, with issues such as high inflation, declining popularity of his political party, and the rise of opposition led by Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu. Just four days before Imamoglu was expected to be named as the opposition’s presidential candidate, he was arrested on charges of corruption and terrorism, prompting concerns about the state of democracy in Turkey, one of the world’s largest economies and a NATO ally of the United States. Critics see the arrest as a move to undermine Imamoglu’s campaign, while Erdogan’s supporters view it as a legal matter. The incident highlights the tension between democracy and authoritarianism in Turkey, with implications for both domestic politics and international relations.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/22/world/middleeast/turkey-erdogan-democracy-istanbul-mayor-detention.html