The struggling mayor of Istanbul is the candidate for the opposition party in the upcoming presidential election scheduled for 2028.
Ekrem Imamogul mayor Istanbul has been selected as the Opposition Republican Party (CHP) candidate for the upcoming presidential election scheduled for 2028.
Imamoguru, who was detained on Wednesday, is widely viewed as the top challenger for President Recept Tayyip Erdogan. His arrest prompted widespread protests that have continued for several days, mainly in major cities such as Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir.
Below is a short timeline of Imamoguru’s political career.
Early Life and Education
Imamogul was born on June 4, 1970 in Trabzon, northeastern Torkiye. He received his Bachelor of Business Administration and a Master of Human Resources from Istanbul University.
He was elected mayor of Istanbul
In 2008 he joined the Republican Party (CHP), one of Torkier’s main political parties. From 2014 to 2019 he served as mayor of Istanbul’s Beirikduz district. In 2019 he became mayor of Istanbul and defeated the candidate of the Judicial Development Party (AK Party). The results were resolved first, but he won by reruns. In 2022 he was sentenced to two years and seven months and was banned from politics for slandering the election council during the abolition of the 2019 Istanbul mayoral election. He appealed the sentence and the ban is pending.
University degree abolished
On March 18, 2025, Istanbul University invalidated Imamoguru’s bachelor’s degree and cited the fraud of the Council on Regulation of Higher Education. This revocation puts his presidential eligibility at risk, under Turkish law, so that he must at least have a higher education degree to be eligible to run for president.
Arrest and protest
On March 19, 2025, Imamoguru was arrested and charged with corruption, supported the PKK and led a criminal organization. This has led to widespread protests, which is still ongoing.
CHP presidential candidate
On March 24, 2025, Imamoguru was elected presidential candidate for the CHP. The next scheduled election is 2028. However, early elections are considered to be highly likely.
