From the Ballot Box to the Courthouse: Is Turkey’s Democracy at a Breaking Point?

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By Asia Salati

On the night of March 31^st 2024, the streets of Istanbul erupted in celebration. For the second time in five years, Ekrem İmamoğlu, the opposition’s rising star, had secured victory in the city’s municipal elections, despite facing relentless pressure from President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s government. But the euphoria was short-lived. Just days later, İmamoğlu was arrested on corruption and terrorism-related charges—allegations widely viewed as politically motivated—triggering mass protests across the country. What does this escalating showdown reveal about the state of democracy in Turkey?

İmamoğlu’s re-election as mayor of Istanbul was a symbolic and strategic blow to Erdoğan. Istanbul is not just Turkey’s largest city; it is the political and economic heart of the nation—and the city where Erdoğan began his political career.

The government’s initial silence after the election result raised suspicions. But when the Interior Ministry accused İmamoğlu of directing a criminal network involved in fraud, corruption, and links to the PKK, many saw it as an act of retaliation rather than a legitimate prosecution.                      

“The people have spoken, and yet they are silenced,” tweeted one protester, as crowds filled Taksim Square waving both Turkish flags and placards calling for justice.

İmamoğlu had filed an appeal, but on April 4th, a court upheld the charges, further intensifying tensions. Legal experts and human rights organizations denounced the case as lacking credible evidence and politically charged in its timing—coming just three years before the 2028 presidential elections.

This is not the first time İmamoğlu has faced legal threats. In 2019, following his first election victory, the results were annulled and rerun—only for him to win again with an even larger margin. Since then, he has been a consistent target of Erdoğan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP), which frames his popularity as a threat to national unity.

This case seems less about justice and more about deterrence. It sends a chilling message to other opposition figures ahead of the 2028 presidential elections.

The scale and spontaneity of the protests are significant. In cities like Ankara, Izmir, and even conservative Konya, thousands have marched, chanting slogans against authoritarianism and holding up signs like “Our votes are not crimes.”

Weekly demonstrations organized by the main opposition party, CHP, have continued to draw broad crowds. Many demonstrators are young, and their message is clear: Turkey’s youth are tired of democratic backsliding, censorship, and fear.

Visuals shared widely on platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and TikTok show creative forms of dissent—graffiti quoting Atatürk, flash mobs, and silent vigils outside courthouses. The protests also include religious and ethnic minorities, highlighting a rare moment of unity in a polarized country.

In response to the unrest, Turkish authorities have detained more than 2,000 protesters, with over 300 of them now in pre-trial detention. The crackdown has extended to economic boycotts initiated by civil society; 11 people were arrested for promoting anti-government shopping bans, including well-known actor Cem Yiğit Üzümoğlu.

Erdoğan’s strategy seems clear: neutralize political threats before they grow into electoral ones. But in doing so, he may be underestimating the resilience of Turkey’s democratic spirit. İmamoğlu’s popularity has surged, not waned, since his arrest. If the goal was to suppress dissent, the outcome might be the opposite.

International observers, including the European Parliament and Human Rights Watch, have condemned the arrest. “The arrest of the mayor is deeply concerning,” said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. “As a member of the Council of Europe and an EU candidate country, Turkey must uphold democratic rights.”

The arrest of İmamoğlu marks a dangerous new chapter in Turkey’s slow democratic erosion. But it has also reawakened civic resistance and rekindled hope in the power of the ballot. Whether that hope will survive the full weight of state repression remains to be seen. One thing is clear: the battle for Turkey’s democratic soul is far from over.