Turkish President chief political rival, Ekrem Imamoglu, was dealt a major blow Tuesday to his ambition to run for president in the country’s next election.
Istanbul University announced that it was revoking Imamoglu’s university diploma over irregularities. To run for president, a candidate must have a university degree.
The university said it was declaring the graduations and degrees of 28 people, including Imamoglu, as being “void” because of “obvious error.”
Imamoglu seen as a top contender to Erdogan
Imamoglu, a popular opposition politician from the center-left Republican People’s Party (CHP), was set to be nominated as his party’s pick for presidential candidate this weekend.
Imamoglu has been twice elected mayor of Istanbul, in 2019 and 2023, beating candidates from .
The mayoral race in Istanbul has particular resonance since Erdogan launched his political career there, serving as mayor in the 1990s.
Erodgan has dominated Turkish politics since becoming prime minister in 2003, and must hold elections before they are scheduled in 2028 if he wants to run again under the constitution.
Imamoglu: ‘I will not give up’
Imamoglu said the decision to annul his university diploma was not about him in a post to X, writing: “We will take this illegitimate decision to court and fight it.”
“I will not give up, I will not get tired. Ekrem is not the subject of this action anymore, the entire nation is, everything people have earned and achieved is in danger,” he said.
But he said he had no faith that the ruling would be fair, citing political pressure on the judiciary.
Critics say courts bend to Erdogan’s will. The government says the judiciary is independent.
But the university decision represents the latest step in a series of arrests, detentions and investigations into opposition politicians and mayors that is widely seen as politically motivated to shut down dissent.
Opposition vows to stand by Imamoglu
CHP Chairman Ozgur Ozel said the decision was a “dark smear” and that his party would name Imamoglu as its presidential candidate on March 23.
Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavas, also widely seen as an alternative CHP presidential candidate, backed Imamoglu and said the party will take legal action against the university decision.
Edited by: Wesley Dockery
The post Istanbul University hampers Erdogan rival’s presidential bid appeared first on Deutsche Welle.
