There is a serious crisis in the opposition bloc in Turkey. Main opposition Republican People’s Party’s (CHP) Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, whose name is among the possible presidential candidates of the opposition’s Nation Alliance, has been practically lynched by his supporters.
In the 2019 local elections, İmamoğlu's popularity won Istanbul against the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), which had ruled the city for 25 years. Now, the journalists, pop singers and actors who support him say that they are withdrawing their support one by one. “İmamoğlu is making statements that disappointed us,” they say. Even the presidents of football clubs criticize him.
Well, what could be the reason behind İmamoğlu’s supporters suddenly targeting him when he was the Nation Alliance favorite until recently? It’s not that İmamoğlu's three-year performance as mayor has been bad. The excuse is that a certain female journalist, who previously supported the AK Party, was among the members of the press invited to watch İmamoğlu's tour of the Black Sea region. Yes, you heard that right. As if it has already solved all other problems, the opposition coalition, which seeks to end the 21-year rule of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his AK Party in the upcoming 2023 elections, has been busy with the İmamoğlu journalist debate for days.
However, besides showing the indifference and disorganization of the opposition, this discussion also points to an important problem for Turkish democracy. Because, if the self-proclaimed “democracy bloc” wins the elections, it also clearly shows what kind of environment they plan to establish in Turkey and what kind of country they desire. It is easy to predict what will happen under the rule of those who argue that even a journalist who is close to them should not be allowed to ask questions because she used to have other political views, shouldn't it be hard to guess?
The prudent Turkish voters also understand this picture very well. This is because their collective memory is deep. They remember the discriminations that took place in the past that ended under Erdoğan's rule.
Although İmamoğlu made a statement saying "I don't care" when the discussion started, he took a step back as he could not stand the increasing pressure the next day. He was unable to act calmly, could not resist this fascist oppression and failed to take a stand for freedom of press and expression...
However, if he was able to act in a principled manner, he could turn this situation into an opportunity if he could ignore the pressure of a handful of celebrities who are not reliable criteria for reflecting the tendencies of the voters. He could not only get ahead in the presidential candidacy race but also win the sympathy of the supporters of the ruling party, whose votes he needs to be elected on the message "I will not discriminate."
So, what will be the results of the crack in the opposition for the upcoming election?
Despite CHP Chairperson Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, who is against İmamoğlu’s presidential candidacy and wants to race against Erdoğan himself, İmamoğlu has not given up until today. He is probably aware that the systematic lynching campaign launched against him is welcomed and even organized by the CHP headquarters. However, we know that İmamoğlu is a stubborn character. He also knows that he will never catch the wave he once caught again. Therefore, it is not difficult to guess that he will resist, he will not give up on his claim and he will not hesitate to cause harm while withdrawing.
