Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, recently arrested on allegations of corruption, has been depicted as the most potent candidate to challenge President Erdogan, according to Guney Yildiz, a visiting fellow at the London School of Economics. Yildiz also characterizes Imamoglu as the opposition party’s foremost candidate, one who has appeal across the political spectrum, from conservatives to left-wingers and liberals. However, Yildiz considers Imamoglu’s broad-based political appeal a double-edged sword, potentially hindering his ability to muster the support needed to propel him forward. Additionally, Yildiz suggests that the current wave of protests in Turkey is unlikely to sustain, and removing Imamoglu from the electoral contest may pave the way for Erdogan to secure another term in 2028.

Source: https://www.france24.com/en/video/20250322-erdogan-likely-to-win-another-term-if-imamoglu-removed-from-elections-expert-says