Turkey: Students from Ekrem Imamoglu's alma mata lead protests against his arrest
Students from the alma mater of Ekrem Imamoglu have been at the forefront of protests against the Istanbul mayor’s arrest, with unrest expected to continue across Turkey.
The Tuesday revocation of Imamoglu’s degree from Istanbul University - a necessary requirement for becoming president - has been seen as the opening salvo in a week that has seen some of the largest street protests against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Justice and Development Party (AKP) in years.
On Friday afternoon, Istanbul's governor ordered the closure of Galata Bridge and Ataturk Bridge, which are the main access routes to the city hall and have been the location of nightly demonstrations.
Imamoglu was expected this week to be selected by the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) as its candidate for the next presidential election, a vote that could potentially see Erdogan ousted after 23 years of rule.
However, for many students it is just the latest in a long litany of problems they have faced in Turkey.
A representative of Istanbul University’s Ogrenci Dayanismasi (Student Solidarity), who have been leading protests, told Middle East Eye that the activists were not necessarily fans of the CHP - which they described as a "capitalist" party - but that Imamoglu’s arrest and the revocation of his degree were attacks on democracy that needed confrontation.
“Unfortunately, elections in Turkey revolve around the competition between two candidates. As a leftist and an organised activist, I do not support CHP,” they said, remaining anonymous for security reasons.
They added that the detention of Imamoglu had been "unlawful" and was aimed at preventing him taking on Erdogan and finally driving the president from power.
“The AKP’s departure won’t bring a revolution, and I don’t expect such a mission from CHP either - however, depending on the political context of the election, I might vote for Imamoglu,” the Ogrenci Dayanismasi spokesperson said.
Student demonstrators waved the flag of the republic, but there were also flags of Marxist organisations like the Freedom and Solidarity Party, the Labour Party and the Marxist Thought Communities.
'Democracy...can only be reclaimed by organizing people at the grassroots level and encouraging them to fight for their rights'
- Ogrenci Dayanismasi
On Thursday, students gathered at Istanbul University, before moving on to the intersection of Sarachane, where the city hall is located. They then attempted to march to the central Taksim Square.
The students were confronted by a police barricade, with officers firing tear gas into the demonstrators. There were also reports of rubber bullets being fired at protesters.
The Ogrenci Dayanismasi spokesperson said the CHP held a rally in support of Imamoglu nearby.
“Students began booing CHP and chanting, ‘We came for action, not a rally! Students are being tear-gassed here, and you're holding a rally!’" they said.
“Democracy, which has been systematically dismantled for years, can only be reclaimed by organising people at the grassroots level and encouraging them to fight for their rights.”
'Tayyip resign!'
Imamoglu remains in custody after he was arrested in the early hours of Wednesday. He was detained along with around 100 others over allegations of extortion, money laundering and irregularities concerning tenders and procurements, all of which he has denied.
His supporters have seen his arrest as a politically motivated move to jail one of the country’s most popular politicians.
Thursday evening saw demonstrations in 32 of Turkey's 81 provinces, including in the cities of Van, Bursa and Konya, which has a reputation as an AKP stronghold.
Protesters could be heard chanting “shoulder to shoulder against fascism!” and “Tayyip resign!” as they marched.
People took to their windows in Istanbul and banged pots and pans in support of the mayor:
In Kad?köy, Istanbul, citizens spontaneously went to their windows to support protestors by banging pots and pans. The sound then spread to backstreets nearby.
— dokuz8NEWS (@dokuz8news) March 20, 2025
Turkey enters a second night of nationwide protests against the detention of Ekrem ?mamo?lu.pic.twitter.com/GWjZUpUn0o
Turkish media on Friday said police had arrested at least 88 protesters, updating an earlier figure of 53 from Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, who also said 16 police officers had been hurt.
Although the latest wave of protests have stemmed from Imamoglu’s arrest, they are also driven by widespread frustration at ongoing economic problems in the country and increasing dissatisfaction with the AKP’s 23-year rule.
Students, in particular, face many problems in Turkey, with experts warning of brain drain as a lack of graduate jobs, clampdowns on academic freedom and fears for the country’s future have pushed increasing numbers to emigrate.
A nationwide study conducted in 2023 by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Ankara, found two-thirds of those aged 18-25 would leave Turkey if given the chance, a number that rose among those with degrees, such as doctors or engineers.
Meanwhile, the Student Cost of Living Survey conducted by the Istanbul Planning Agency (IPA) last year found the cost of living for university students in Istanbul had surpassed the minimum wage.
According to the survey, the monthly cost for a student staying in a private dormitory soared by 57.17 percent in one year, hitting 22,920 Turkish lira ($670), while for students sharing a three-person apartment, the cost rose by 49.59 percent, climbing from 12,535 lira a month to 18,750, more than the minimum wage of 17,002 lira.
'Young people speak out on the streets since the parliamentary democracy is not functioning'
- Ayhan Kaya, academic
Ayhan Kaya, an academic at Istanbul Bilgi University, said a range of economic issues and instability related to ongoing internal ethnic and political conflicts - such as the conflict with the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) or the 2016 military coup attempt and its aftermath - had been a major push factor for young people in Turkey.
"This kind of conflict-induced migration is a prevalent experience that is affecting the skilled and secular young populations since the aftermath of 2013 Gezi protests and the 2016 failed coup attempt," he told MEE.
He said Imamoglu and his rhetoric had managed to appeal to a young population who needed "a glimpse of hope for the future".
"Under the current conditions, young people speak out on the streets since the parliamentary democracy is not functioning - if their claims are not heard and recognise by the state actors, the continuation of the already existing new wave of migration may linger on," Kaya said.
Ongoing struggle
Imamoglu was first elected mayor of Istanbul in April 2019, but that vote was overturned by the Supreme Electoral Council (TSK) after the AKP complained of irregularities. The vote was re-run and Imamoglu was elected again with an increased margin.
He has faced a number of legal problems since then. In 2022, Imamoglu was charged with insulting a public official for allegedly calling the TSK “foolish” in 2019 over its decision to cancel that April’s mayoral election.
Imamoglu denied he had been referring to the TSK in his comments, and was instead speaking about the government, but he was sentenced to more than two years in prison and a political ban. Having appealed the ruling - which is still ongoing - he has avoided prison and the ban has yet to take effect.
Although Erdogan and the AKP won the 2023 presidential and general elections, their formidable electoral machine has come under increasing pressure in recent years, with Turkey's economic issues and a perceived weak stance on Israel's war on Gaza undermining support.
The AKP and its allies suffered in local elections last year, with the CHP sweeping up many regions of the country, including another win for Imamoglu in Istanbul.
Polling has shown that should Imamoglu be selected by the CHP as its next presidential candidate, he stands a real chance of unseating Erdogan.
Further protests were set for Friday evening. While the authorities have attempted to push back - with the state regulator reportedly issuing the maximum possible fine for four news outlet over their coverage of the protest - there is no sign that they are abating.
“The situation in Turkey is not a uniquely Turkish problem. People everywhere are losing their basic rights, and of course, they will become politicised,” said the Ogrenci Dayanismasi spokesperson.
“The process may change, but the struggle must continue with the same determination.”