Early on the morning of March 19, I found myself at the center of an intense scene as armed police officers descended upon my home, brandishing a detention order. You would have thought they were after a dangerous criminal, not the elected mayor of Istanbul, Turkey’s largest city.
This dramatic turn of events occurred just four days before the Republican People’s Party, to which I belong, was set to hold a crucial primary for the upcoming presidential election. Although it was a bold move, it was far from a surprise. I had faced increasing legal challenges for months, climaxing with the sudden annulment of my university diploma—a degree I earned 31 years ago. The authorities seemed to believe this would disqualify me from the presidential race due to the constitutional requirement for candidates to hold a higher education degree.
In an effort to sideline me as a formidable political rival, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan appears to be using tactics beyond the electoral arena. He has pinned charges of corruption, bribery, criminal network leadership, and collaboration with the banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party on me, though these accusations lack solid evidence. Consequently, I was suspended from my role amid these financial allegations.
For years, President Erdogan’s regime has steadily eroded democratic institutions, stifling media freedom, replacing elected officials with handpicked bureaucrats, diminishing the legislature’s role, exerting control over the judiciary, and tampering with elections. Recent waves of arrests targeting protesters and journalists have only reinforced a climate of fear, serving as a stark warning that no one is truly safe. In an instant, votes can be annulled, and freedoms snatched away, steadily transforming the republic into one governed by fear.
This isn’t just a gradual weakening of democracy; it’s an intentional dismantling of the very institutions that uphold our republic. My detention marks a troubling new chapter as Turkey slips further into authoritarianism, wielding power arbitrarily and blatantly. Despite its rich democratic heritage, Turkey now teeters dangerously on the brink of losing its democratic soul.
The crackdown extended beyond just myself, entangling nearly 100 people in a wide-ranging operation based on scant evidence from secret witnesses. Among those detained were senior municipal officials and business leaders, following a campaign of misinformation and defamation by pro-government media outlets.
Yet, the Turkish people’s response has been nothing short of remarkable. Even with a strict ban on protests and barricades at key city entry points, hundreds of thousands took to the streets, from Istanbul all the way to Rize, a known Erdogan stronghold. Just hours after my detention, citizens from all walks of life rallied in solidarity with my party. Outside Istanbul’s municipal headquarters, people gathered in vigils, undeterred by escalating police measures and arrests.
Despite these challenges, the Republican People’s Party forged ahead with its presidential primary on Sunday. An impressive 15 million votes were cast, including 1.7 million from party members, affirming me as the party’s presidential candidate.
Since taking office as mayor in 2019, I have been the subject of nearly 100 investigations and numerous court cases. Each charge, from the improbable to the ludicrous, seems part of a concerted effort to exhaust me, prevent me from serving as the people elected, and eliminate me as a viable contender against Mr. Erdogan.
Three times I have faced off against Erdogan-backed candidates—in two local elections in 2019 for Istanbul and another contest just last year—each time emerging victorious despite his personal campaign efforts against me. Unable to defeat me at the polls, Erdogan now leans on his influence over the judiciary to sideline a challenger who recent polls suggest could win an election held today.
So, what spurred such large-scale public demonstrations, the biggest since the Gezi Park protests in 2013? With rising injustices and an economy in distress, public discontent in Turkey has reached its limit. The people see me as a candidate who stands for inclusion, fairness, and a hopeful future. They won’t be silenced, recognizing my arrest as yet another push toward autocracy in Turkey.
Amidst the oppression, a tide of solidarity remains strong. Leaders and mayors from Amsterdam to Zagreb showed support and resolve following my arrest. Civil society remains stalwart, but the silence from central governments worldwide is noticeable. While Washington has voiced “concerns regarding recent arrests and protests” in Turkey, European leaders have mostly fallen silent, offering no strong condemnation.
What is unfolding in Turkey and elsewhere highlights a global truth: democracy, the rule of law, and fundamental freedoms must not be forsaken or compromised under the guise of diplomatic pragmatism. Events like the war in Ukraine, the chaos in Syria, and the destruction in Gaza have heightened Turkey’s strategic significance, particularly for European security. Yet, geopolitics should not obfuscate fundamental human rights values, lest we inadvertently empower those dismantling the global order.
The preservation of democracy in Turkey is pivotal not just for its citizens but for democracies worldwide. In this era of unchecked strongmen, advocates for democracy must be equally bold and persistent. The fate of freedom hinges on the bravery of students, workers, ordinary citizens, unions, and elected officials—those who refuse to stand by as institutions falter. I remain confident in the enduring resolve of those fighting for justice and democracy in Turkey and beyond.
