Özel noted that one of the judges who released eight of İmamoğlu’s detained associates due to a lack of evidence was demoted for refusing to follow Erdoğan’s directives to order arrests despite the absence of supporting evidence.

Reiterated that Erdoğan sought Trump’s backing before the March 19 coup attempt and the arrest of Istanbul mayor Imamoglu, and claimed that Erdoğan dodges questions about whether he got Trump’s approval prior to İmamoğlu’s arrest

Unveiled the first plan for a rally outside Istanbul, set to take place this weekend in Samsun, a city of symbolic importance, as it was where Atatürk launched the Turkish War of Independence against the Allied powers in 1919.

He listed the boycotted companies and media outlets, directly calling out individual business leaders by name. He also announced that tomorrow they will visit the NTV (a major private TV channel) headquarters to protest the channel’s silence.

He called out Erdoğan for his silence on Trump’s remarks about turning Gaza into “seafront property” and the displacement of Palestinians, while reaffirming the CHP’s long-standing support for the Palestinian cause.

Ozel referred to Erdoğan-appointed ministers as mere “secretaries”, implying they’re nothing more than official stenographers for the regime without actual agency, and stated they would be treated accordingly.

Ozel argued that Erdoğan is incapable of solving the Kurdish issue—not just because he leads a junta regime, but because he stands against democracy itself, retaliating against Kurds for backing İmamoğlu and opposition candidates in Istanbul (referring to the 'urban consensus').

Openly accused Erdoğan of orchestrating the March 19 coup and labeled him a junta leader, stating that he is afraid of the ballot box. Earlier this week, Erdoğan reacted angrily to being called a junta leader and repeatedly denied the claims in speeches and on Twitter.

Turkish politics analyst @yusufcan.bsky.social told me this extraordinary move was intended to demonstrate İmamoğlu's appeal across the country:

"It makes them look quite democratic in this in this context, plus it gives them a very strong legitimacy in the eyes of the people."

Obviously, there are still 3.5 years until the next election, and much can change in that time. However, I find it hard to believe that AKP, behind the scenes, would view developments in Syria as a guaranteed path to electoral victory, given the domestic context—at least not in the short term.

Istanbul Mayor İmamoğlu raised this issue at the 31st Türkiye Working Group Meeting of the European Committee of the Regions, yet discussions remain limited. While legal and illegal migration dominate the discourse, legitimate grievances continue to grow

Academics, students, and other professionals are increasingly impacted by visa rejections, with a concerning lack of transparency. Political factors may contribute, but addressing these issues openly and promptly to prevent further strain on EU-Turkey relations would be smart