Turkey voids Erdogan's main rival's degree, risking presidency bid

By Beril Akman

 

Turkey revoked Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu’s university diploma, potentially blocking President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s main rival from running for the country’s top office.

 

The mayor, one of Turkey’s most popular politicians, has been widely viewed as a contender to the presidency since defeating Erdogan’s handpicked candidate in Istanbul’s mayoral race last year. Imamoglu was set to become the presidential pick for the main opposition Republican People’s Party, or CHP, on Sunday. 

 

He slammed the decision as “illegal,” saying in an X post that those responsible would be held accountable before history and justice. He made no mention of withdrawing his name from the party’s primaries and is slated to hold a rally in Istanbul on Saturday.

 

 

Imamoglu had previously denounced the case, unveiled a day after he declared his run for the presidency, as politically motivated. Voiding his university degree, a mandatory requirement for the office of the presidency, would disqualify him from competing. 

 

There is growing speculation that Erdogan is preparing to stand for a new mandate, with his top aides expressing expectations of a rerun. For a chance at extending more than two decades in power — as prime minister and then president — the Turkish leader would need to secure enough parliamentary support to change the constitution or call a snap election.

 

“The decision to revoke Imamoglu’s diploma goes beyond merely undermining a fair electoral race by removing the strongest opponent,” Wolfango Piccoli, the co-president of consulting firm Teneo said in an emailed statement. “It reflects the boldness and power to dictate what is real and what is not by controlling the state apparatus,” he added.

 

Imamoglu said Tuesday he will legally challenge the decision but did not think it would lead to a fair result. With appeals potentially running all the way to the constitutional court, it’s likely it would take years for the case to be resolved. Turkey is scheduled to vote for its next president in 2028.  

 

Turkey revoked Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu’s university diploma, potentially blocking President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s main rival from running for the country’s top office. 

The mayor, one of Turkey’s most popular politicians, has been widely viewed as a contender to the presidency since defeating Erdogan’s handpicked candidate in Istanbul’s mayoral race last year. Imamoglu was set to become the presidential pick for the main opposition Republican People’s Party, or CHP, on Sunday. 

 

He slammed the decision as “illegal,” saying in an X post that those responsible would be held accountable before history and justice. He made no mention of withdrawing his name from the party’s primaries and is slated to hold a rally in Istanbul on Saturday.

 

Imamoglu had previously denounced the case, unveiled a day after he declared his run for the presidency, as politically motivated. Voiding his university degree, a mandatory requirement for the office of the presidency, would disqualify him from competing. 

 

There is growing speculation that Erdogan is preparing to stand for a new mandate, with his top aides expressing expectations of a rerun. For a chance at extending more than two decades in power — as prime minister and then president — the Turkish leader would need to secure enough parliamentary support to change the constitution or call a snap election.

 

“The decision to revoke Imamoglu’s diploma goes beyond merely undermining a fair electoral race by removing the strongest opponent,” Wolfango Piccoli, the co-president of consulting firm Teneo said in an emailed statement. “It reflects the boldness and power to dictate what is real and what is not by controlling the state apparatus,” he added.

 

Imamoglu said Tuesday he will legally challenge the decision but did not think it would lead to a fair result. With appeals potentially running all the way to the constitutional court, it’s likely it would take years for the case to be resolved. Turkey is scheduled to vote for its next president in 2028.  

 

The decision was announced by Istanbul University, a public school, Tuesday evening. The university also said 27 other individuals’ diplomas were annulled. 

 

The decision came after stock and bond trading hours. The Turkish lira extended its drop to 0.2 per cent after the statement and was trading at 36.7 per US dollar as of 9:07 p.m. Istanbul time.

 

Potential Candidates 

While Imamoglu is expected to move forward with his presidential bid, Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavas, another CHP member, was also seen as a potential pick. Yavas, a widely popular figure, has previously expressed interest in the presidency but said on Tuesday that he would not pursue the bid until the “unlawful” decision was overturned.

 

The probe into the Istanbul mayor’s education adds to the slew of investigations and lawsuits, with the most significant of them threatening Erdogan’s rival with more than seven years in prison and a ban from politics.

 

Turkish prosecutors claim Imamoglu’s transfer to Istanbul University during his sophomore year was illegal because authorities didn’t at the time recognize the northern Cypriot university he emanated from. Imamoglu’s lawyer told local media that other Turkish students made similar transfers which were accepted with no issues. 

 

First elected mayor of Turkey’s largest city in 2019, Imamoglu’s rise to political stardom was solidified by last year’s victory against Erdogan’s AK Party. Voters pushed away from candidates from the ruling party as they focused on economic hardship and inflation, then running at an annual rate close to 70 per cent.

 

Many have drawn comparisons between Imamoglu’s political trajectory and Erdogan’s, with the latter also kicking off his rise in political notoriety as Istanbul mayor in the 1990s.