Turkey: Ekrem Imamoglu wants to impose himself as the future leader of the main opposition party

2023-08-02T16:23:34.177Z

Highlights: Ekrem Imamoglu was tipped to face Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the presidential election last May. With this publication he reaffirms his ambitions to establish himself as the future leader of the main opposition party. He was sentenced to more than two and a half years in prison for "insulting" members of the High Electoral Council. If the sentence were to be upheld on appeal next November, the current mayor of Istanbul would also be deprived of political life over the same period. The article was published on July 28 on the website of the left-liberal weekly, Oksijen.

In a manifesto-like article, the mayor of Istanbul outlines his aspirations for Turkey. Frequently described as a rising star of the Republican People's Party (CHP), Ekrem Imamoglu had...

Turkey: Ekrem Imamoglu wants to impose himself as the future leader of the main opposition party

In a manifesto-like article, the mayor of Istanbul outlines his aspirations for Turkey. Frequently described as a rising star of the Republican People's Party (CHP), Ekrem Imamoglu was tipped to face Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the presidential election last May, but it was finally the current president of the party, Kemal Kiliçdaroglu who was chosen. With this publication he reaffirms his ambitions to establish himself as the future leader of the main opposition party.

Ekrem Imamoglu during his election campaign to become mayor of Istanbul on May 22, 2019. AP - Lefteris Pitarakis

Text by: RFI Follow

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With our correspondent in Istanbul, Cécile Pierre-Magnani

A wind of change is blowing through the CHP's main opposition party. In any case, this is what Ekrem Imamoglu's "manifesto" intends to begin.

The article was published on July 28 on the website of the left-liberal weekly, Oksijen. The content remains very general and the subject avoids any frontal questioning of his political family, but it allows the mayor of Istanbul to capture once again the media attention.

On 28th May last the party's present chairman, Kemal Kiliçdaroglu lost by four points to Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the presidential election. Since then, his leadership has been challenged internally and Ekrem Imamoglu intends to take advantage of this window of opportunity to advance his pawns.

He is considered the most legitimate potential candidate to succeed Kiliçdaroglu as party leader. But he was sentenced to more than two and a half years in prison for "insulting" members of the High Electoral Council. If the sentence were to be upheld on appeal next November, the current mayor of Istanbul would also be deprived of political life over the same period.

Turkey: Ekrem Imamoglu wants to impose himself as the future leader of the main opposition party

Turkey: Ekrem Imamoglu wants to impose himself as the future leader of the main opposition party

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