15m vote for deposed Istanbul mayor in symbolic primary - municipality officials

9:09 pm on 24 March 2025

A man shows a ballot paper of the only candidate of the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Ekrem Imamoglu during the presidential primaries at a polling station in Ankara on March 23, 2025. The popular opposition Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, who is the biggest political rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was arrested on March 19, just days before he was to be named the main opposition CHP's candidate for the 2028 presidential race. The opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) has opened the vote to anyone, not just party members, in the hope of a massive show of support for the beleaguered mayor.

A ballot paper showing detained Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, the only candidate of the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), during voting at a symbolic primary organised by the opposition. Photo: AFP / Adem Altan

Some 15 million people voted in a symbolic primary organised by Turkey's main opposition CHP in a mass show of support for Istanbul's newly deposed mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, the municipality said.

"Out of a total of 15 million votes, 13,211,000 are solidarity votes," the municipality said of the long-planned primary at which Imamoglu was to have been named the party's candidate for the 2028 presidential race.

Observers said it was the looming primary that triggered the move against Imamoglu, widely seen as the only politician capable of challenging President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Throughout Sunday (local time), voters flocked to ballot boxes in 81 cities after the CHP opened up the poll beyond its 1.7 million party members to anyone who wanted to participate.

People turned out in such large numbers that voting was extended by an extra three-and-a-half hours.

Supporters of Istanbul metropolitan Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu take part in a demonstration outside Istanbul municipality against his detention over a corruption probe, in Istanbul on March 19, 2025. Mayor of Istanbul Ekrem Imamoglu, the main opponent of Turkish President, was arrested on March 19, 2024 in the morning along with dozens of his aides, elected representatives and members of his party, accused of 'corruption', according to the city's public prosecutor. (Photo by KEMAL ASLAN / AFP)

Imamoglu's arrests sparked protests in Istanbul and across the country. Photo: AFP / Kemal Aslan

Imamoglu was detained early on Wednesday, sparking mass protests that have spread across Turkey. The ballot took place as an Istanbul court formalised his arrest in a corruption probe.

Several hours later, the interior ministry suspended him as mayor as he was sent to a prison on the megacity's western outskirts.

- AFP