Erdoğan suggests ‘more to come’ regarding investigations into opposition mayors

Following the arrest of CHP's Beşiktaş Mayor Akpolat, President Erdoğan has suggested there were “more to come” regarding the judicial investigations into opposition mayors. CHP’s two Istanbul district mayors have been arrested so far as the government tries to increase its crackdown on Istanbul’s popular mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu.

Saturday January 18 2025 02:59 am

Duvar English

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Jan. 17 hinted that there would be more judicial investigations into opposition mayors.

Speaking during a provincial congress of his Justice and Development Party (AKP) in Konya, Erdoğan said, “No one has the right to break the law, including you (CHP leader) Mr. Özel. Let's open the accounts in front of the nation. They have no answers to the allegations in the files.”

“However, they also know very well that there are more to come. This is the reason for their panic. In a few years, they will not be able to go out on the streets or even look the people in the face,” Erdoğan said, suggesting that more investigations will be launched into opposition mayors, especially for more important figures.

“The deplorable state of the opposition should never lead us to complacency. AKP is a political organization that has succeeded in every struggle. Our goal now is the construction of the 'Century of Turkey',” he added.

His statements came on the same day Beşiktaş Mayor Rıza Akpolat, from the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), was arrested while accused of “bribing” and “manipulating” bidding processes.

In response to Erdoğan, CHP leader Özgür Özel said, "We see and accept the declaration of war."

"Common and courageous decisions will be taken. I am not talking about a process of activism, a protest process, a rally, a march or anything like that, but about a process (that will lead us to) take over the power," he added.

Previously in October, CHP’s Esenyurt Mayor Ahmet Özer was arrested on charges of “membership in the PKK armed terrorist organization.”

The moves are seen as the government’s new crackdown attempts on Istanbul’s popular mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, from the CHP, who is regarded as President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s one of the potential rivals.

İmamoğlu is also facing a political ban during an ongoing trial process.

In the March 31st local elections held in 2024, the CHP surprisingly beat the ruling AKP as the latter had become the second party for the first time in an election since its foundation in 2001.

In Istanbul for example, the CHP won 26 district municipalities whereas the AKP remained at only 13, as İmamoğlu beat AKP’s mayoral candidate Murat Kurum with a 12 percent difference.

Topics Erdoğan CHP Özgür Özel Istanbul Rıza Akpolat