Türkei: Inhaftierter Istanbuler Bürgermeister wechselt zu neuer Oppositionspartei
Einer der prominentesten Erdogan-Gegner wechselt die Partei und beschwört einen „neuen Weg“. Die Abspaltung von der traditionsreichen CHP könnte Erdogan derweil helfen.
Ankara - Istanbul's former mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu, who is currently imprisoned on corruption charges, has joined the newly formed "New Party", according to his chief political rival. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's spokesperson announced this on Wednesday via the X social media platform. Imamoglu, who has been in pre-trial detention for over a year over corruption allegations he denies, stated that "Today, we are opening a NEW path to build a stronger, more democratic, and hopeful future for Turkey."
In July, opposition leaders Özgür Özel and 90 other lawmakers founded the New Party after a court removed Özel as CHP president. Imamoglu was mistakenly selected as CHP's presidential candidate shortly after his arrest in March 2025. Both the opposition and human rights organizations have criticized the imprisonment of hundreds of CHP members since 2024 as politically motivated.
The government denies this claim and emphasizes the independence of the judiciary. The New Party already holds the second-largest position in the parliament and is expected to attract the majority of CHP voters. However, the fragmentation of the opposition could potentially boost Erdogan's chances of extending his 23-year rule at the 2028 elections.
Written by urgent.news from Handelsblatt's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
