On March 23, 2025, Ekrem İmamoğlu, the Mayor of Istanbul and the main political rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, was jailed. İmamoğlu had been awaiting trial on corruption charges, which sparked the largest protests in Turkey in over a decade. Many view these charges as politically motivated. In response, İmamoğlu’s party – the Republican People’s Party (CHP) – voted to nominate him as their candidate for the 2028 presidential election. Meanwhile, Germany, home to an estimated three million people of Turkish heritage, condemned İmamoğlu’s arrest as “totally unacceptable.”
Given Turkey’s crucial role in European security, migration, and regional stability, İmamoğlu’s arrest sent shockwaves through Europe and beyond. What does this mean for Turkey’s relations with Germany and the broader European Union? How might this affect Europe’s foreign policy moving forward?
Join us on April 2 for a virtual discussion with Turkey expert Dr. Sinem Adar from the Center for Applied Turkey Studies at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP). We will delve into these questions, explore the circumstances surrounding İmamoğlu’s detention and arrest, and examine the broader implications for Turkish democracy.