At its March 27 meeting, the Turkish Radio and Television Supreme Board (RTÜK) imposed the heaviest fines ever on TV channels that do not toe the government line. With the fines, Sözcü TV received a 10-day blackout penalty, and the cancellation of its broadcasting license is now imminent. According to RTÜK member İlhan Taşçı, who
İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu was arrested on March 23rd by an İstanbul Court on duty on charges of “bid rigging, recording personal data, bribery and establishing an organization of interest”. İmamoğlu was not arrested on charges of aiding the PKK within the framework of the “urban reconciliation” with Kurdish politicians but nevertheless
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is seeking to run for office once again by securing a parliamentary majority and exploiting a constitutional ambiguity. The opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) has two formidable potential candidates to challenge him: Mansur Yavaş, the Metropolitan Mayor of Ankara, and Ekrem İmamoğlu, the Metropolitan Mayor of Istanbul. While Erdoğan has thus
Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu faces another criminal case, this time for allegedly threatening Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor Akın Gürlek. The indictment, prepared by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, lists Prosecutor Gürlek as the “victim” and seeks a prison sentence ranging from 2 years 8 months to 7 years 4 months. The charges against İmamoğlu
On March 31, Türkiye will once again exercise its democratic right to vote in local government elections. Yet, this election transcends mere local political dynamics; it stands as a pivotal moment shaping the trajectory of Turkish politics at large. In the wake of the May 23 general elections, Türkiye’s political landscape is undergoing significant shifts,
Ever since Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan launched the election campaign with the motto “reconquering Istanbul,” it has been clear that the real competition in the upcoming March 31 local elections will be for the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality. Now, with almost a week left until the election, this race is neck and neck. It is
Since the May 2023 election defeat, Türkiye’s main opposition, the Republican People’s Party (CHP), has grappled with internal conflicts that have taken a toll on the party. However, in addition to this, an unprecedented situation has emerged in Turkish politics: the CHP, not President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), appears to
President and ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) leader Tayyip Erdoğan took a strategic step and entrusted the local election goal of “Istanbul Again” to former minister Murat Kurum. Kurum was not the candidate most likely to take the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality from the main opposition Republican People’s Party’s (CHP) popular mayor, Ekrem İmamoğlu. For
The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) changed its leader at a highly contested November 4 congress, and delegates elected young Parliamentary Group Chair Özgür Özel to replace Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, who refused to resign despite his failure in the presidential and parliamentary elections that took place in May. The 49-year-old pharmacist challenged the 13-year-old Kılıçdaroğlu-chairmanship