Speaking to the Financial Times, Ekrem İmamoğlu addresses Erdoğan

As Turkey leaves the March 31 Local Elections behind, the election results have also received extensive coverage in the world press.

Re-elected as IMM Mayor, Ekrem İmamoğlu spoke to the UK-based Financial Times newspaper.

Giving an interview to the newspaper's Turkey correspondent, İmamoğlu made statements on many issues. While the newspaper used the headline "Victorious Istanbul mayor tells Erdoğan to heed voters' 'message'", it also noted that İmamoğlu's re-election has revitalized the opposition.

İMAMOĞLU ADDRESSES ERDOĞAN

Addressing Erdoğan, İmamoğlu warned, "If he does not abandon policies where the will of a single person dominates the state, he should worry about his political future. If Erdoğan does not heed the message of the voters and continues to do the same things, his political lifespan will shorten. Everything is in his hands."

"WE CAN CALL IT AN AUTHORITARIAN REGIME IN QUOTATION MARKS"

While using the expression, "It has turned into a regime, a system where even an institution manager in Istanbul cannot use their existing authority without political instruction. It gives us a state structure that reflects the will of a single person," İmamoğlu commented, "We can call this an authoritarian regime in quotation marks. But I think this election has ultimately condemned and rejected this entire method, this entire practice."

"THE PERSON WHO SHOULD BE AFRAID MIGHT BE ERDOĞAN"

Regarding the March 31 elections, İmamoğlu said, "This was never just an Istanbul election. It turned into an election where the President declared [himself] the counterpart." When asked by the Financial Times whether he was worried about the lawsuits filed against him, İmamoğlu replied, "The person who should be afraid might be Erdoğan."

News Source: 12punto