Turkey is a democracy on the brink. Erdogan’s response shows weakness, not strength
24 March 2025, 13:19
Turkey is ablaze with protest.
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The arrest of Ekrem Imamoglu, Istanbul’s charismatic mayor and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s most potent rival, has sparked the largest demonstrations since the 2013 Gezi Park uprising.
On March 19, 2025, Imamoglu was detained on flimsy charges of corruption and alleged ties to the PKK—claims that conveniently surfaced days before his expected nomination as the opposition CHP’s presidential candidate. By March 23, he was jailed, his university degree annulled in a bizarre twist, and the streets erupted. This is no coincidence; it’s a calculated strike against a man who beat Erdogan’s AK Party in Istanbul twice, shattering the myth of its invincibility.
The scale of the backlash is staggering. Protests have swept 55 of Turkey’s 81 provinces, with tens of thousands defying bans to rally in Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir. The CHP reports nearly 15 million symbolic votes cast for Imamoglu—a resounding rejection of his detention. This isn’t just about one politician; it’s a roar against 22 years of democratic decay under Erdogan.
From students to disillusioned conservatives, the crowds reflect a nation fed up with a judiciary bent to political will and a government that answers dissent with tear gas and arrests—over 700 so far.Erdogan’s response betrays weakness, not strength. Banning gatherings, throttling social media, and blaming “provocateurs” are tactics from an autocrat’s playbook, yet they’ve only fanned the flames.
The economic toll is immediate: the lira has plunged up to 14.5%, and the stock market has tanked nearly 9%. Turkey’s fragile economy can’t weather this storm. Internationally, the EU, France, and Germany have decried a “blow to democracy,” risking Ankara’s further isolation.
At the Centre for Turkiye Studies (CEFTUS.org), we’ve tracked this erosion of checks and balances for years. Imamoglu’s arrest could be a turning point—either toward deeper repression or a rekindled push for accountability. The world is watching, and the people of Turkiye are speaking.
This crisis demands dialogue, not division. Erdogan must heed the streets, and the opposition must harness this energy wisely. Turkey’s democratic soul hangs in the balance—let’s hope it’s not too late to save it.
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Ibrahim Dogus is the Director of the Centre for Turkiye Studies.
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