Who is İmamoğlu, and why did his arrest spark outrage in Türkiye?⁣ ⁣ Nationwide protests erupted in Türkiye after Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu was arrested on March 19, 2025.⁣ ⁣ İmamoğlu rose to prominence in 2019 by defeating President Erdoğan’s AK Party in Istanbul’s mayoral race, ending their 25-year rule. His decisive victory in a rerun election made him a major opposition figure. In 2023, he was re-elected with over 55% of the vote, cementing his status as Erdoğan’s top rival.⁣ ⁣ Istanbul, home to over 16 million people and generating 30% of Türkiye’s GDP, is politically crucial. Erdoğan himself once said, “Whoever wins Istanbul, wins Türkiye.”⁣ ⁣ Critics see İmamoğlu’s arrest as a government move to sideline him from the 2028 presidential race, while authorities claim it was purely legal.⁣ ⁣ #Turkey #Istanbul #Erdogan #Imamoglu