Solidarity ballot box

Everything we said could never happen, has happened. With the detention of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu on the morning of March 19, Turkey has entered a new turning point. The European Parliament defined this new turning point as follows: Turkey is turning into an authoritarian state.

Along with İmamoğlu, there are detention warrants for Şişli Mayor Resul Ekrem Şahan, Beylikdüzü Mayor Murat Çalık, IMM Secretary General Mahir Polat, press advisor Murat Ongun, media relations manager Necati Özkan, journalist İsmail Saymaz, and 100 other individuals.

One day before the detention order, İmamoğlu’s diploma, which he received 31 years ago, was cancelled by a decision of the Istanbul University board of directors.

Yesterday evening, İmamoğlu İnşaat Ticaret Sanayi A.Ş., a company in which Ekrem İmamoğlu is a partner, was seized.

A state of emergency has effectively been declared in Istanbul. Metro stations were closed. Bans on demonstrations and marches were imposed, the internet was throttled, investigations were launched against those making provocative posts regarding İmamoğlu’s detention, YouTube was shut down in the evening, and the pressure and operations will likely continue until March 23, the day the CHP will select its presidential candidate.

Our fragile currency market reacted very sharply to the detention of İmamoğlu; the dollar exchange rate hit 41.64 TL, and the Euro reached 45 TL. Those who borrowed in dollars or took out dollar loans have unfortunately gone bankrupt! Borsa Istanbul crashed, and Morgan Stanley Investment Bank withdrew its membership from Borsa Istanbul.

In response to the decision to detain İmamoğlu and cancel his diploma, students, led by those at Istanbul University, as well as students from Hacettepe and METU, began protest actions. At 8:30 PM, Istanbul residents flocked to Saraçhane.

Dilek İmamoğlu, with her dignified stance and courageous speech in Saraçhane, kept hope alive against the darkness. Thousands marched in Trabzon and in Fındıklı, Rize. Hundreds gathered on Yüksel Street in Ankara. Izmir poured into the streets. As this article was being written, METU students were marching toward Kızılay at night.

The detention of İmamoğlu has lit a fuse. On Sunday, March 23, two ballot boxes will be set up for the CHP’s presidential candidate primary. The name of the second ballot box will be the “SOLIDARITY BALLOT BOX.” Everyone will be able to vote without the requirement of being a party member.

A great opportunity for our democracy