Ekrem Imamoglu is the main political rival of Turkish President Recep Erdogan. Just days before Imamoglu was officially nominated as the presidential candidate of the opposition Republican People's Party, founded by Ataturk, he was arrested and charged with corruption and supporting terrorism.
"In countries with fragile democracies, whose institutions are susceptible to politicization due to the lack of well-developed mechanisms for response and control, targeted actions by law enforcement agencies against prominent opposition figures are often observed," political analyst Berkay Çokcan told DW.
Ekrem Imamoglu is not the only opposition figure under attack. An investigation warrant was also issued against the Ankara municipality, which is headed by Mansur Yavas – another extremely popular opposition figure. "This betrays the desire of the ruling party to secure a victory in the next elections by eliminating their real political competition in advance", explains Çokcan. According to him, the expression that best describes the events in Turkey is the suspension of democracy.
The boiling point has been reached
The events of the past week have sparked mass demonstrations and hundreds of thousands of Turks have taken to the streets across the country. Aylin is not participating in the protests, although she fully supports them. She fears possible repression and does not want to risk her own safety. For this reason, her real name in the text has been changed.
"The police are currently using excessive force against young people, intervening with tear gas and water cannons. Instead of feeling like a peaceful march, the protest looks more like a battlefield. "There are also many provocateurs who take advantage of these demonstrations by mixing with the crowd and deliberately escalating tensions," Aylin told DW.
Demonstrations are also taking place in other European countries. One of them is Germany, where around 3 million people of Turkish origin live, making the Turkish diaspora one of the largest in the country. – the huge gap between the rich and the poor, the years of severe inflation, the almost daily cases of violence and murder of women, the millions of illegal migrants and more.
"With the arrest of Imamoglu, whom tens of millions of Turks see as an alternative and hope for change, the frustration that has been suppressed for years is simply escalating", says Berkay. "Most people have lost faith in justice and the rule of law in this country and feel insecure", says Aylin.
The US is condescending, Europe is raising a quiet voice
Political analyst Berkay Çokcan sees condescension and even approval from the US regarding the actions of the Turkish president. The designation of Erdogan as a "good leader" and the restriction of opposition accounts on Elon Musk's social network X are indications of this. "Whether this is an explicit agreement in which the US's condescending view is being used as a bargaining chip for something else, for example Turkey not to interfere in future US plans for Syria, or whether the Trump administration has simply decided to maintain good relations with Erdogan, remains to be seen", adds Çokcan.
Although the European Commission has called on Turkey to adhere to democratic values, many analysts believe that Europe is not critical enough, and the explanation for this is more than clear. "In the context of the complex international situation and the need at this stage for the Turkish army to guarantee Europe's security, it is very likely that these condemnations will remain only declarative, without being followed by real economic and political actions, since Europe would not take the risk of losing an ally like Turkey right now. "The current circumstances allow the Turkish president to use the Ukrainian card as a guarantee of domestic political comfort," explains Çokcan.
According to student Cem, this poses the difficult task for the Turkish people to win their own democratic future.
The beginning of the end for Erdogan?
Are these protests the beginning of the end for Erdogan? Or will the Turkish president succeed in crushing the protest energy and his political opponents, thereby solidifying his autocratic style of governance?
"Erdogan did something that the opposition could not achieve on its own - he consolidated it against him, motivating people of all ages and with different beliefs, backgrounds and social statuses to take to the streets," says Berkay. According to him, the development of events depends on the energy and courage of the protesters, as well as on the ability of the Republican People's Party to channel their dissatisfaction to the ballot box.
Aylin and Cem also share the opinion that the Turkish people are hopeful and united, which can make them very strong. "This is no longer about political parties or a division between right and left. Most of us simply want a better future. That's why I think that if early elections are called, the current rulers will most likely lose. I sincerely hope so," Aileen shares with hope.
Author: Margarita Nikolova