Riot police have been deployed to the Istanbul headquarters of Turkey's main opposition and roads around the building blocked as party members rally there against a court's suspension of its local leadership in what they see as the 'judiciary being used as a political weapon'.
"King Philip IV convened the first French parliament, the Estates General, in 1302" a huge democratic milestone. King Philip expelled the Jews from France in 1306. Western democracy was built on religious sectarian homogeneity. Read @jodemocracy.bsky.social www.journalofdemocracy.org/articles/rel...
It has been three months since the March 19 operation against Ekrem İmamoğlu and #democracy in #Turkey.
This event will bring together great panelists to discuss the process today. Would not miss that!
I know Bluesky isn’t always tuned into politics beyond the U.S.,but as any political scientists would agree: it’s crucial to learn from other cases.What’s happening now is extraordinary.That's why I believe scholars, international media, and anyone who care about democracy should pay close attention
And still, what I see on the fifth day also gives me hope. Crowds are getting bigger. Students miss lessons to teach one. The courage in the streets matters. It speaks louder than any textbook I ve read.
Reading the indicators of authoritarian behavior and reactions to it, watching all in action gives me mixed feelings.As the brutality escalates,I worry about what might happen to the demonstrators,including loved ones and people whose names I don’t know, but whose anger and hope I feel deeply
I’m a political science PhD student, still in coursework. This afternoon I was trying to read How Democracies Die for our political regimes discussion today, sitting next to the banners I did for one of the demonstrations abroad and watching real-time events unfold every time I check my phone.
Updates from the fifth day of the #Turkey protests.
Huge turnouts across Turkey for the CHP primary election. The arrested İstanbul mayor İmamoğlu is projected to receive millions of votes for the CHP presidential candidacy.
Meanwhile, protests are also going on. This is from Kadıköy in #İstanbul
I know this platform is more American politics focused but you'll should pay more attention to what's going on in Turkey as millions of people are defending their right to change the government through free and fair elections.
In a few hours, we’ll know if İmamoğlu walks free or gets jailed. Either way, Erdoğan faces a dilemma. Letting him go fuels an emboldened opposition, proving resistance works. Jailing him risks igniting bigger protests and deeper economic turmoil.
Possible outright censorship in Turkey as the Radio and Television High Council (Turkey's highest broadcast regulator) allegedly ordered television channels to cease live broadcasts of protests across the country. Thresholds are being crossed and it's a massive game of chicken at this point.
From the #Turkey protests - this must be one of the best protest signs ever!
An unprecedented wave of solidarity from İstanbul to Vancouver, from San Francisco to Budapest.
A list of other major cities organizing demonstrations this weekend that I have seen so far:
🇺🇸New York, Los Angeles, Washington DC, Boston, Chicago
🇨🇦 Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal
🇪🇺 Vienna, Rome, Amsterdam
The photo is taken by @pelindilaraclk (Twitter account)
The demonstrations spread throughout Turkey and even across borders. Starting with protests in Berlin and Milan, now a major crowd in London. All around in major cities in Europe and even across the Atlantic, in Canada and in the US, thousands from Turkey will gather this weekend
University campuses across Turkey have (again) become a major site of protest.
Demonstrations today from Istanbul and Ankara to Bursa, Antalya, Trabzon, Mersin.
İmamoğlu’s diploma annulment and detention were the catalyst, but are far from the only grievance.
www.gazetepencere.com/siyaset/univ...
Watch the mass demonstration in Saraçhane, İstanbul - live
The main opposition leader is speaking right now. Thousands are gathering in İstanbul, Ankara, İzmir, and even Berlin to defend the rule of law after 24 hours of turmoil and attacks on democracy.
www.youtube.com/live/UvD93-u...
Demonstrations are unfolding at İstanbul University in response to the unlawful diploma annulment decision. Despite the bans, we see a powerful stand of youth not only for solidarity to İmamoğlu, but also to defend the rule of law and free and fair elections
İmamoğlu shared this note on his twitter account written “People will respond these lies, plots, and unfairness, to those who undermine the will of the people. I am entrusted to Allah first and then to our nation. Sincerely yours”
Despite the bans, people are hitting the streets to resist major attacks on democracy and the rule of law. We’re about to see whether this leads to democratization or further authoritarianism without competitive part of it.
Transition to full authoritarianism is inevitable unless this attack on free elections is reversed through large-scale resistance from a broad coalition.
Right after İmamoğlu was taken into custody, the Istanbul Governorate imposed a 4-day ban on all meetings, demonstrations & press statements, citing "public order concerns" & "provocative actions." Transportation hubs shut down, major roads and metro stations, including Taksim Metro, are closed.
I stand firm in my fight for the fundamental rights and freedoms.”
İmamoğlu stands strong: “The will of the people cannot be silenced through intimidation or unlawful acts. I stand resolute, entrusting myself not only to the 16 million residents of Istanbul but to the 86 million citizens of Türkiye and all who uphold democracy and justice worldwide.
Many of his colleagues and supporters have been also detained for being a member of a “criminal organization”. The Prosecutor's report listed İmamoğlu as a “leader of the organization.
Breaking News:
Following the unlawful decision to annul his diploma, the mayor of Istanbul and the strongest opposition presidential candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu has been taken into custody early this morning
A lengthy post from Ankara's mayor Mansur Yavaş, another possible candidate against Erdoğan, who comes out for İmamoğlu.
Notably, Yavaş himself declares he won't stand for president "while this unlawfulness persists".
We've now had the response from Ekrem İmamoğlu. He calls the verdict "unlawful" – and that only the board of the faculty that give him his diploma could decide to annul it.
This evening's announcement was made by the board of the entire university.
A key turning point for Turkey’s political scene. While the playing field has been uneven for years, making this less surprising to some, it's still a critical move that raises serious questions about how competitive the political arena truly is anymore.
Ekrem İmamoğlu, the Mayor of Istanbul and the strongest opposition candidate, is under heavy pressure. His diploma has just been annulled, and since the law requires the president to be a university graduate this puts his candidacy in jeopardy, effectively blocking the opposition's best shot.
An update from Türkiye for peace/conflict scholars:
1) Imprisoned PKK leader Ocalan called for disband and disarmament of PKK
2) The process was initiated by the leader of ultra-nationalist party, Bahceli, on October 2024,
3) Not the first public attempt, the last one took place some time ago
