Has the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan miscalculated?
Since the arrest of Ekrem Imamoglu — mayor of Istanbul, presidential candidate for leading opposition party CHP and Erdogan’s political rival — people in Istanbul and elsewhere in Turkey have taken to the streets in their thousands.
Imamoglu’s wife Dilek is among them. In her speeches at demonstrations, she speaks directly to President Erdogan. “He will defeat you, you will lose! The injustice that Ekrem is facing is touching everyone’s conscience,” she says.
For the time being though, it does look a little as though her husband has been defeated. His position as mayor of Istanbul has been withdrawn from him and he has been in police custody since Sunday. Could his wife, who is already well respected in political circles, take up his mantle in the Turkish opposition?
Against the glass ceiling
Dilek Imamoglu, born 1974, in the Turkish port city of Trabzon, met her husband in Istanbul. She married the charismatic Ekrem Imamoglu in 1995 at the age of 21. The couple have three children.
Their passion for politics shapes their family life to this day. “Dilek is the backbone of our house,” her husband said in an interview with Cumhuriyet TV. “She is not only my wife but my biggest supporter.”
Dilek Imamoglu is involved in women’s rights and fighting discrimination against minorities, in voluntary work and within academia
In her master’s thesis, written while studying at the school of political science and public administration at Kadir Has University in Istanbul, she examined the “glass ceiling syndrome.” She investigated the invisible barriers that prevent women and minorities from accessing management positions.
Ever since her husband won local elections in Istanbul in 2019, Imamoglu has also been working to raise awareness of the rights of people with disabilities. For example, she spent a day getting around Istanbul in a wheelchair to highlight the everyday struggle those using them face in the city.
“She should run against Erdogan”
Women and young people in particular have interpreted Imamoglu’s presence on the political stage as a symbol of courage and democratic resilience. Many female supporters are convinced that she could inherit her husband’s political legacy.
“She should run as a candidate against Erdogan,” commented some of women who listened to her, who were protesting Sarachane Square in Istanbul. “She is very strong. We are always behind her. Both her and Ekrem Imamoglu.”
The next parliamentary and presidential elections are not expected until 2028. But there are good reasons for both the government and the opposition to call for early elections.
If the ballot date were brought forward, Erdogan would be allowed to run again. If elections are held in 2028, then according to the Turkish constitution, he would not be able to. This rule could only be overturned by an amendment to the constitution, which would require a two-thirds majority in the Turkish parliament.
In light of the current crisis, the opposition party CHP would also benefit from bringing the elections forward. The announcement of a new candidate would heighten pressure on Erdogan.
Thunderous applause
Many Turks have been demonstrating on Sarachane Square for days now, urging Ekrem Imamoglu’s release. And they hang onto his wife’s words. Every time Dilek Imamoglu takes to the stage, the crowd breaks into thunderous applause.
Her popularity is boosted by the fact that she not only speaks out in support of her husband but also addresses social issues.
As one woman in the crowd told DW, “Dilek Imamoglu’s firm stance in response to her husband’s arrest is a role model for all women and an inspiration for the resistance. It demonstrates how steadfast she is against tyranny.”
“Before Imamoglu was arrested, everyone was already discussing potential alternative presidential candidates,” another local continued. “If there’s any talk at all about an alternative candidate for the CHP, it should be Dilek Imamoglu.”
This story was originally published in German.
