0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
0
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
0
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
0
%
İmamoğlu’s political future could unfold in several directions: a prolonged limbo without foreseeable resolution, deeper repression, or eventual redemption. Ultimately, however, it won’t be İmamoğlu who determines the terms of the politics of imprisonment: it will be the movement that rallies behind him, and above all, the protestors who fill the squares and streets of Turkish cities. The protests of the past two weeks are almost unprecedented in recent Turkish history in terms of their diversity, hope, anger, and resolution in the face of extreme adversity. The crowds going to the booths in the CHP’s presidential primary and protesting in Istanbul’s saraçhane square have to remain persistent and disciplined if they want to prevent a Babaryka scenario or an Imran Khan scenario.
İmamoğlu’s fate now hinges less on the judiciary than on the streets. Whether he ends up sidelined, stuck in limbo, or redeemed through struggle, will depend on the movement his name inspires. The coming weeks will determine not just his trajectory, but the direction of Turkish democracy itself.
The views expressed in this article do not represent the institution the author works for or Scrolli.
Sinan Akyol is a researcher with a background in public opinion analysis. He holds a master’s degree in Political Science from LSE, where he focused on comparative political behaviour and data-driven analysis. Currently working in the market research industry, he applies his expertise to uncover public opinion trends and political elite behaviour.
