A court on Wednesday adjourned a case against Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu from the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) to September.

A verdict had been widely expected on Wednesday in the case, which could lead to a political ban for Imamoğlu if he were found guilty and if any appeal then failed. The judge set the next hearing for Sept. 21.

Imamoğlu is charged with insulting public officials in a speech he made about a repeat of the 2019 mayoral election. The state prosecutor is seeking a jail term of four years and one month for Imamoğlu.

He narrowly won that election over his ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) rival, former Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım and, after those results were annulled, won the rerun of the vote by a comfortable margin.

Imamoğlu's mayoral victory marked the first time President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's AK Party and its predecessors had lost in Turkey's largest city in 25 years.

Imamoğlu is among the names that are considered to run as the main opposition's presidential candidate against incumbent Erdoğan in next year's elections.

An informal opposition coalition of six parties has still not yet selected its presidential candidate. Most analysts expect CHP Chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu to win the nomination but Imamoğlu is another possible contender.