The dismissed and arrested mayor of Istanbul Ekrem İmamoğlu has been officially announced as the presidential candidate of the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), after nearly 15 million people participated in the internal party elections yesterday, the Turkish section of the BBC reports, BTA writes.
"Our road is long, our excitement is great, we have youth", wrote İmamoğlu on his profile on Ex, now as the official presidential candidate of the CHP.
This evening I send my greetings to the millions of people who want justice in Saraçhane and in the four squares next to my country. pic.twitter.com/bTEfCjd6M8
— Ekrem İmamoğlu (@ekrem_imamoglu) March 23, 2025
HPP Chairman Özgür Özel stated that nearly 15 million people participated in the primary elections to nominate the party's presidential candidate, of which 1.65 million members and nearly 13 million citizens cast their votes in the so-called solidarity ballot boxes prepared for non-partisan citizens.
These data have not yet been verified by independent sources, the BBC points out.
According to Özel, the emerging picture "makes early elections inevitable."
A post was also published on Ekrem İmamoğlu's social media profile in which he welcomed his supporters.
"I send my greetings to the millions who chanted in Saraçhane (a district of Istanbul where the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality building is located - ed.) and in squares across the country tonight. These elections will come, the people will slap this government in the face, which it will not forget," the publication says.
Imamoglu, who was arrested early yesterday morning by a court decision as part of an investigation into corruption in the municipality and then transferred to prison custody, was the only candidate in yesterday's elections.
HPP members voted in 5,960 ballot boxes in all districts of the country. Voting was also held in London, the BBC notes.
Imamoglu claims that the charges against him are "fabricated". His detention on March 19 sparked a wave of protests not seen in Turkey for twelve years.
The government, at the same time, categorically denied accusations that the prosecution of Imamoglu and his associates is political. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has criticized the protests in the country and accused the main opposition force, the Republican People's Party, of trying to "disturb the peace and polarize the Turkish people".
Regular presidential elections are due to be held in 2028.