All posts tagged: Ekrem İmamoğlu

Don’t treat Turkey like Russia and China – POLITICO

Don’t treat Turkey like Russia and China – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

This is no longer just about a frozen accession file. It is about strategic direction, and whether the EU and Turkey can still imagine a meaningful future together. It is also where the deadlock in relations becomes most visible. As pressure on the country’s opposition hardens into a durable method of government, the issue moves well beyond the narrow confines of foreign policy and fundamentally becomes a question of regime. That is why so much of Turkey’s tensions with the EU are driven by the external consequences of its internal democratic decay. As a founding member of the Council of Europe, from the very beginning Turkey has been part of Europe’s institutional order, built on democracy, human rights and the rule of law. Through its place in NATO, it constitutes an important part of Europe’s security architecture and collective defense. From the Black Sea to critical energy routes, from migration to industrial production, the EU’s long-term resilience cannot be bolstered by excluding Turkey. This is no longer just about a frozen accession file. It is …

Jailed Istanbul mayor goes on trial in corruption case slammed as political

Jailed Istanbul mayor goes on trial in corruption case slammed as political

Published by Sam Flores

Istanbul’s former mayor Ekrem Imamoglu has gone on trial in Turkey on charges of corruption, in a landmark case widely criticised by rights groups. Imamoglu was arrested almost one year ago, when the opposition CHP party named him as their presidential candidate. Critics say the trial is an attempt to scupper Imamoglu’s chances of beating Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the ballot box. Keywords for this article Source link

Landmark trial begins for Turkish opposition leader Imamoglu

Landmark trial begins for Turkish opposition leader Imamoglu

Published by Sam Flores

Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu went on trial on Monday with more than 400 other defendants accused of widespread corruption in a case critics see as a politically motivated move against Turkey’s opposition. Imamoglu, who has been behind bars for nearly a year, is the main challenger to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ’s 23-year rule. He was elected as the main opposition party’s candidate for an election due in 2028 just days after he was detained. The hearing began in a tense atmosphere, with Imamoglu asking to speak and the panel of judges refusing the request, Halk TV news channel and other media reported. The judges accused Imamoglu of disrupting the proceedings, and then left the courtroom. The trial was adjourned until the afternoon. Most of the 402 defendants worked for the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, headed by Imamoglu since 2019. Many are elected officials from the Republican People’s Party, or CHP, while journalists are also among the accused. Imamoglu’s arrest on March 19 last year sparked weeks of street protests, the largest seen in Turkey for …

Main challenger to Turkey’s Erdoğan vows to defeat him from a jail cell – POLITICO

Main challenger to Turkey’s Erdoğan vows to defeat him from a jail cell – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

“Even though İmamoğlu can declare his candidacy virtually from a jail cell, there is no way this will be legally allowed — because for Erdoğan this would be a mortal political threat if this were a free and fairly contested race,” he said. Foreign policy flop In his responses, İmamoğlu took aim at Erdoğan’s “aggressive” foreign policy and his close relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump, linking both to the erosion of rights at home. İmamoğlu took aim at Erdoğan’s close relationship with Donald Trump. | Pool photo by Evan Vucci via Getty Images “It is clear that President Trump’s presidency has opened a turbulent era … Diplomacy has increasingly shifted from institutions to leader-to-leader dealings, squeezed between rapid bargains and gestures that rarely lead anywhere,” he wrote. He argued Erdoğan was seeking the legitimacy he had lost domestically in Washington, but questioned whether Ankara was really getting what it wanted. “We must ask what the concrete gains of this alleged success are. Despite claims that relations with Washington are improving, Türkiye still has not …