Turkey’s main opposition party reelects chairman amid Istanbul mayor’s arrest, its top challenger to President Erdogan, News.Az informs via The Washington Times.
Ozgur Ozel was reelected at an extraordinary congress of the Republican People’s Party, or CHP, which he called to prevent what he said was a plot by the government to appoint a caretaker for the party.
The opposition claims the charges against Imamoglu are politically motivated, but the government insists the judiciary is independent and free of political interference.
While in prison, Imamoglu was confirmed as the CHP’s presidential candidate for the election scheduled for 2028, but which will likely to take place earlier.
Ozel said he decided to call Sunday’s party congress on March 21, two days after Imamoglu’s arrest and hours before the alleged government caretaker was to be appointed for CHP.
The arrest of Istanbul’s opposition Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu on corruption charges has ignited large-scale anti-government protests. Imamoglu had emerged as the main challenger to Erdogan’s 22-year rule since he was elected mayor of Istanbul in 2019, overturning a quarter-century of rule by parties from Turkey’s conservative Islamist tradition.
“They didn’t have the courage to compete with us in service, so instead they attempted to intimidate our municipalities and the opposition by using the might of the government against their rivals,” Ozel told the assembly. “They thought they could remain in power by polarizing the public and provoking new conflicts.”
