Jailed Istanbul mayor Imamoglu joins Turkey's New Party after court ousts CHP leadership

Jailed Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu announced on Wednesday that he is joining the newly formed New Party and resigning from the Republican People's Party (CHP), where he had been a member for 17 years, following a court order that removed the CHP's leadership and reinstated former chairman Kemal Kilicdaroglu.

Last month, former CHP leader Ozgur Ozel and 90 other breakaway lawmakers launched the New Party after a court ousted Ozel as CHP chairman. The new grouping is already the second-largest party in Turkey's parliament and is expected to draw the majority of CHP voters.

Imamoglu, who is considered President Tayyip Erdogan's main political rival, has been held in pre-trial detention for more than a year on corruption charges he denies. He was detained in March 2025, and Istanbul University annulled his university diploma — a legal requirement for presidential candidacy — one day before his arrest.

Days after his detention, Imamoglu was elected as the CHP's presidential candidate in an internal party vote.

In his statement posted on X, Imamoglu said: 'I am resigning from my 17-year membership of the Republican People's Party. This decision is a result of the values I believe regarding the future of our country and the responsibility I carry towards our people.' He added: 'Today, we are opening a NEW path to build a stronger, more democratic and more hopeful future for Turkey.'

The next Turkish elections are scheduled for 2028 but could be held earlier. Analysts note that the broader splintering of the opposition could improve Erdogan's prospects of extending his 23-year tenure in the NATO-member country.

The opposition and some rights groups have described the legal actions — including the jailing of hundreds of elected CHP officials and members since 2024 — as politically motivated and undemocratic. The Turkish government denies this characterisation and maintains that the judiciary operates independently.

• The specific corruption charges against Imamoglu are not described.
• The grounds on which Istanbul University annulled Imamoglu's diploma are not stated.
• The legal basis for the court order that ousted Ozel and reinstated Kilicdaroglu as CHP chairman is not explained.
• Kilicdaroglu's response to the party's ongoing split and Imamoglu's departure is not included.
• The current membership or seat count of the New Party in parliament is not specified beyond 'second-largest.'

1. The Straits Times — original

Read the original at The Straits Times

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