Turkey’s descent into authoritarianism deepened with President Erdoğan’s imprisonment of Istanbul’s mayor, Ekrem İmamoğlu, a major rival for the 2028 election. This move illustrates Erdoğan’s intent to eliminate significant political challenges, aligning Turkey with other autocratic regimes. The political landscape is poised for further repression as secular voices get marginalized, indicating bleak times ahead for democracy in Turkey.
Turkey’s authoritarian shift has escalated dramatically with the recent imprisonment of Istanbul’s mayor, Ekrem İmamoğlu, by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. This action marks a significant advancement in Turkey’s descent into autocracy, with elections becoming mere formalities as Erdoğan seeks to eliminate serious political threats, particularly from İmamoğlu, a key contender for the 2028 presidential elections.
Since 2017, Turkey has seen a consolidation of power under Erdoğan, who has rendered Parliament largely powerless while maintaining a facade of electoral legitimacy. İmamoğlu’s arrest signals a new phase where the electoral process is severely compromised, aligning Turkey with countries like Belarus and Russia, where dissent is routinely suppressed.
Erdoğan’s approach is rooted in establishing a unified society influenced by political Islam, with all opposing views either suppressed or rendered ineffective. His two-decade-long strategy began with purges of non-loyal elements in military and civilian sectors, employing fabricated evidence to validate his actions during high-profile trials like the Ergenekon case.
In the past, Erdoğan aligned with leftist and liberal groups to frame himself as an advocate for democracy, gaining support from Western powers. However, he later turned against these allies after consolidating his power, using a series of politically motivated trials and a constitutional referendum to exert control over the judiciary.
The Gezi Park protests in 2013 were pivotal, shifting Erdoğan’s political stance from conciliatory to one that actively stoked societal divisions. His leadership strategies became more aggressive following his 2014 presidential election, where he began to disregard constitutional boundaries, ruling firmly as a party leader rather than adhering to a neutral presidential role.
The 2016 coup attempt provided Erdoğan with the justification to enact sweeping changes, resulting in thousands arrested and dismissals of public servants under a state of emergency. The Kurdish political movement was particularly targeted, with its leaders, such as Selahattin Demirtaş, imprisoned.
Erdoğan’s alliance with the far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) further entrenched his power after a contested party congress was annulled, solidifying his control. During these years, Turkey also distanced itself from Western alliances, purchasing military systems from Russia amidst rising tensions with NATO.
Post-2017, notable political challengers, especially İmamoğlu and Ankara’s mayor, Mansur Yavaş, emerged after significant successes against Erdoğan’s party in local elections. However, Erdoğan’s maneuver to remove İmamoğlu from the political landscape sends a clear signal of a leader unwilling to risk electoral defeat, likening him to other authoritarian regimes.
The implications of İmamoğlu’s imprisonment are broad, potentially initiating a systematic campaign against secular journalists and artists who have previously been less affected by Erdoğan’s regime. With the opposition currently led by figures like İmamoğlu and Özgür Özel facing dwindling power, Erdoğan aims to diminish resistance to his vision of a singular Islamic society.
As global politics increasingly embraces authoritarian figures, Erdoğan’s ambitions may encounter minimal resistance. The outlook for the Turkish opposition is bleak, facing dark days ahead where democratic processes could disintegrate further, effectively eliminating any remaining competitive political landscape.
Turkey’s political landscape has dramatically shifted towards authoritarianism, especially following the incarceration of Istanbul’s mayor, Ekrem İmamoğlu. This pivotal act signifies Erdoğan’s firm grip on power, compromising electoral legitimacy and targeting political adversaries. As Erdoğan progresses towards a monolithic Islamic society, the opposition faces systematic marginalization, signaling a troubling future for Turkey where even the pretense of democracy may vanish.
Original Source: jacobin.com
