Herbalist Dr MziziMkavu
JF-Expert Member
- Feb 3, 2009
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ISTANBUL, April 1 (Reuters) - Newly re-elected Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu has emerged as the main challenger to Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan's reign. But in some ways, he is following in the footsteps of the Turkish leader who ran the city in the 1990s.
Aside from having led the country's biggest city, both have family roots in the eastern Black Sea region and both their political careers have been impeded by Turkey's courts. In their youth, both were keen footballers too.
After clinching a resounding victory and retaining his post in Sunday's mayoral elections, Imamoglu, 53, is now a potential future president in the view of many analysts.
Voters sent a message directly to Erdogan, Imamoglu said after the election. "Those who do not understand the nation's message will eventually lose".
But while they share a strong ability to appeal to voters, they diverge when it comes to politics. Imamoglu, an affable former businessman, himself has said: "our ideas are largely opposite".
Erdogan entered politics with an Islamist party and has reshaped the secular state with his pious vision since taking the reins in 2002. In contrast, Imamoglu is from the staunchly secularist Republican People's Party (CHP), joining in 2008 and becoming its mayor in Istanbul's Beylikduzu district 10 years ago.
Imamoglu's success is due to his ability to break through the social democratic CHP's ceiling of some 25% support in Turkey and appeal to more conservative voters.
He proved that in 2019, delivering Erdogan's AK Party (AKP) its biggest defeat in two decades and beating its candidate not once but twice. A court annulled his March victory that year only for him to win by a larger margin in a re-run election in June.
Erdogan bounced back to win re-election as president last year despite widespread economic strains, defying many polls. But Imamoglu has now struck a new blow for the opposition.
"This is more than a mayoral election, it is consigning a mentality to history," Imamoglu said during campaigning. "If it is consigned to history, democracy will revive...and law and justice will recover."
Erdogan's critics say Turkey's judiciary, civil rights and press freedoms have been eroded under his watch, charges the government denies. Source. https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/imamoglu-turkish-mayor-following-erdogans-footsteps-2024-03-31/#:~:text=ISTANBUL, April 1 (Reuters),Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan's reign.
ISTANBUL, Aprili 1 (Reuters) - Meya mpya wa Istanbul aliyechaguliwa tena Ekrem Imamoglu ameibuka kuwa mpinzani mkuu wa utawala wa Rais wa Uturuki Tayyip Erdogan. Lakini kwa namna fulani, anafuata nyayo za kiongozi wa Uturuki ambaye aliendesha jiji hilo katika miaka ya 1990.
Kando na kuongoza jiji kubwa la nchi hiyo, wote wana mizizi ya familia katika eneo la Bahari Nyeusi mashariki na taaluma zao za kisiasa zimezuiliwa na mahakama za Uturuki. Katika ujana wao, wote wawili walikuwa wanasoka makini pia.
Baada ya kupata ushindi mnono na kuhifadhi wadhifa wake katika uchaguzi wa meya wa Jumapili, Imamoglu, 53, sasa ndiye anayetarajiwa kuwa rais wa baadaye kwa maoni ya wachambuzi wengi.
Wapiga kura walituma ujumbe moja kwa moja kwa Erdogan, Imamoglu alisema baada ya uchaguzi. "Wale ambao hawaelewi ujumbe wa taifa hatimaye watapoteza".
Lakini wakati wanashiriki uwezo mkubwa wa kuvutia wapiga kura, wanatofautiana linapokuja suala la siasa. Imamoglu, mfanyabiashara wa zamani mwenye urafiki, mwenyewe amesema: "mawazo yetu kwa kiasi kikubwa yanapingana".
Erdogan aliingia katika siasa akiwa na chama cha Kiislamu na amebadilisha serikali ya kisekula kwa maono yake ya uchamungu tangu ashike hatamu mwaka wa 2002. Kinyume chake, Imamoglu anatoka chama cha Republican People's Party (CHP) kilichoshikamana na siasa kali za kidini (CHP), alijiunga mwaka 2008 na kuwa meya wake katika Beylikduzu ya Istanbul. wilaya miaka 10 iliyopita.
Mafanikio ya Imamoglu yametokana na uwezo wake wa kuvunja kiwango cha juu cha demokrasia ya kijamii cha CHP cha baadhi ya asilimia 25 ya uungwaji mkono nchini Uturuki na kuwavutia wapiga kura zaidi wahafidhina.
Alithibitisha kuwa mnamo 2019, akikabidhi Chama cha Erdogan cha AK (AKP) ushindi wake mkubwa zaidi katika miongo miwili na kumpiga mgombea wake sio mara moja lakini mara mbili. Mahakama ilibatilisha ushindi wake wa Machi mwaka huo kwa yeye tu kushinda kwa tofauti kubwa katika uchaguzi wa marudio mwezi Juni.
Erdogan alirejea na kushinda tena kuchaguliwa tena kama rais mwaka jana licha ya matatizo ya kiuchumi yaliyoenea, na kukaidi kura nyingi. Lakini Imamoglu sasa amepata pigo jipya kwa upinzani.
"Huu ni zaidi ya uchaguzi wa meya, unaweka fikra kwenye historia," Imamoglu alisema wakati wa kampeni. "Ikiwa itawekwa katika historia, demokrasia itafufuka...na sheria na haki vitarejea."
Wakosoaji wa Erdogan wanasema mahakama ya Uturuki, haki za kiraia na uhuru wa vyombo vya habari vimeminywa chini ya uangalizi wake, madai ambayo serikali inakanusha.
