“A long, challenging journey awaits us, but at its end, there is democracy, justice, and prosperity,” dismissed İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu declared on Thursday, after being unanimously chosen as the presidential candidate of Turkey’s main opposition party, the Republican People’s Party (CHP).
His candidacy was formalised through a party vote, despite ongoing investigations targeting İstanbul’s municipality. Expressing gratitude to party leader Özgür Özel, CHP members, and İstanbul’s 15.5 million residents, İmamoğlu acknowledged the difficulties ahead.
“We will face many obstacles, but above all, there is a bright Turkey ahead,” he stated, vowing to push for democratic reforms. His nomination positions him as a key challenger to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Turkey’s upcoming elections.
