Love Stands in Turkey

Image via Telegrafi

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On March 19th, 2025—shortly after announcing his candidacy for the 2028 presidential election—the mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem İmamoğlu, was arrested on charges of corruption, extortion, bribery, money laundering, and support for the PKK—an armed organization fighting for Kurdish autonomy. This organization is classified as a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States, and the European Union. 

İmamoğlu is widely seen as the most serious political challenger to the current Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The timing of his arrest—immediately following his presidential bid—has raised widespread suspicions about the legitimacy of the charges. İmamoğlu has firmly denied all accusations, denouncing the arrest as politically motivated and accusing Erdoğan of behaving like a dictator. 

President Erdoğan is no stranger to accusations of authoritarianism. Over the years, his government has taken several actions that many see as a clear shift away from democratic norms. However, if it is confirmed that İmamoğlu’s arrest was politically driven, it would represent an unprecedented escalation, even by Erdoğan’s standards, considering the popularity of his political enemy. 

Such authoritarian tendencies are one of the key reasons why Turkey’s long standing bid to join the European Union (EU) has stalled. While the Turkish government continues to express interest in EU membership, episodes like this arrest only serve to further damage Ankara’s credibility on the international stage. 

Despite being held in custody, İmamoğlu has remained incredibly politically powerful in Turkey. From behind bars, he managed to win his party’s primary with an astounding 15 million votes—a staggering number, especially considering that only 1.5 million of those came from registered party members. The result strengthened his image as Erdoğan’s most formidable rival in the upcoming 2028 presidential race. 

In the days following his arrest, massive protests erupted across the country—the largest seen in Turkey in over a decade. Many demonstrations turned violent, with police deploying tear gas and batons to disperse crowds. More than 1,000 people were arrested, including several journalists. 

These protests have been largely driven by young university students, who have taken to the streets to defend their right to live in a democratic country where opposition leaders are not silenced through authoritarian means. They are calling on Europe and the wider international community not to turn a blind eye to what is happening in their country. 

In an era where youth political engagement is often seen as declining, the Turkish example is a powerful reminder: the desire for democracy and freedom among the new generations is as strong as ever. 

Perhaps nothing symbolizes this movement better than an image taken from a video that has become the face of the protests. In a surreal moment during one of the demonstrations, a young protester proposes to his girlfriend right in front of a line of riot police. Dozens of heavily armored officers stand before them, but the couple act like they don’t exist. They are both hooded—like Magritte’s lovers—as if to remind us that perhaps words are not necessary to affirm that in a world increasingly divided, love—for people and democracy—stands firm. 

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This article was edited by Mia Kirch.