What is happening in Turkiye : Report

The Cradle
@TheCradleMedia
What is happening in Turkiye?

Lebanese journalist, researcher, and Cradle columnist Mohamad Hasan Sweidan:

“This morning, Erdogan arrested the Mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem İmamoğlu, who is considered Erdogan’s main rival for the presidency. All opinion polls for years have shown İmamoğlu ahead of Erdogan, which is why many believed the Turkish opposition made a mistake by not nominating him in the last presidential elections.

İmamoğlu’s arrest was based on accusations related to falsifying his university degree, corruption charges, and alleged support for terrorism (PKK).

Erdogan also arrested dozens of opposition leaders today on similar charges.

Erdogan believes that the current chaos in the region, global distractions, Turkiye’s expansion in Syria, and Ankara’s return to regional competition through its influence in Syria will help contain the incident. Therefore, according to Erdogan’s calculations, this was the perfect moment to eliminate his main political rival and neutralize the biggest threat to his power inside Turkiye.

Following the arrest, Turks began calling on social media for mass protests. In response, the government blocked social media platforms in Turkiye, fearing an uncontrollable backlash. Despite this, huge crowds have taken to the streets against Erdogan’s rule. The Turkish opposition holds nearly 50% of public support.

Currently, large numbers of people are protesting in Turkish streets, but there is also a flood of misinformation being spread (such as claims of a military coup or Erdogan fleeing Turkiye).

The situation in Turkiye is complex and still in its early stages. We must watch closely to see whether Erdogan will manage to contain the crisis or if the opposition will finally succeed in toppling him—something that would undoubtedly require western support. However, it’s important to note that Erdogan still holds significant power within Turkiye, making the opposition’s task extremely difficult, but not impossible.”