Turkey’s largest opposition party, led by the Republican People’s Party (C.H.P.), is rallying its supporters to boycott pro-government businesses and stand by its presidential candidate, Ekrem Imamoglu, even if his campaign is conducted from jail. The movement, sparked by the government’s arrest of Imamoglu on corruption charges on March 19, marks the largest political protest in Turkey in over a decade. Imamoglu’s supporters include university students who have formed councils to organize protests and educate others on how to deal with riot police and tear gas. The crackdown from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government has not only failed to stifle the opposition but has also seemed to galvanize it.
The C.H.P. has been calling for early presidential elections while pushing back against the corruption charges and the annulling of Imamoglu’s diploma, arguing that these actions are part of Erdogan’s efforts to consolidate power and undermine democracy. Erdogan has dismissed the protesters as violent vandals and accused the opposition of using the protests as a way to avoid confronting the corruption allegations. The Turkish government has also employed measures to suppress the protests, including banning demonstrations, closing transit hubs, and detaining over 1,800 people, with about 260 jailed pending trial. Pro-government media outlets have been accused of avoiding live broadcasts of the protests and concentrating on the accusations against Imamoglu instead.
Despite these challenges, the opposition remains determined to continue its fight. The C.H.P. is pushing for early presidential elections and using creative means to express opposition to the government’s actions. The majority of the protesters are university students demonstrating against Erdogan’s leadership and restrictions on civil rights. Many feel anxious about the future of the country and have little trust in the judiciary system.
The situation is precarious, with conflicting views on how Turkey’s democracy is functioning. The government asserts that it is respecting the independence of the judiciary and that the investigation into Imamoglu is purely based on allegations. However, both sides are preparing as if early elections will happen, with Erdogan potentially facing off against Imamoglu. Experts predict that Imamoglu’s arrest will serve to unite the opposition, despite the formidable force of a well-entrenched government.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/29/world/middleeast/turkey-opposition.html
