Eliminating opponents

• President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s government has shown little tolerance for dissent, targeting political opponents, journalists, activists, and critics.
• Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu was arrested on charges of corruption and alleged ties to terrorism, largely stemming from his association with pro-Kurdish political groups.
• He was removed from office by the Interior Ministry, becoming the fifth CHP mayor to be dismissed by the government in recent months.
• The arrest has sparked massive protests, with the CHP holding a primary open to the general electorate, choosing İmamoğlu as their presidential nominee.
• Erdoğan has dismissed the protests, but the motive behind this campaign is clear.
• İmamoğlu has emerged as the most potent opposition figure in years, helping revive the CHP’s national prospects.
• If he is barred from contesting future elections, Erdoğan may eliminate his most formidable rival, deepening political divisions and eroding public faith in democratic institutions.
• Erdoğan’s future hinges on whether its democracy can still offer a fair and open contest for power.