The rival Jailed mayor who presents biggest threat to Erdogan

When crowds of police arrived at the home of Istanbul's mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu, to arrest him in a dawn raid last week, his response was calm and deliberate.

- Ruth Michaelson

When crowds of police arrived at the home of Istanbul's mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu, to arrest him in a dawn raid last week, his response was calm and deliberate. The mayor of Turkey's largest city - a longtime rival of the country's president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan - issued a video message to his supporters, filming himself as he put on a crisp white shirt and tie to be dressed for his detention.

"A small group is trying to usurp the will of the people," he said. "I will stand strong."

Days later Imamoglu was officially arrested on corruption charges and taken to a high-security prison on the edge of the city he has governed since 2019. Turkey's interior ministry then removed him from office, even as the Republican People's party (CHP) nominated him as their candidate for president at the next election after a primary vote.

Party officials declared that about 15 million people cast a ballot, with the overwhelming majority from non-party members. Since his detention, tens of thousands of people have filled the streets around Istanbul's city hall in nightly demonstrations that have quickly taken hold in places far beyond traditional CHP areas.