Ekrem İmamoğlu responds to 'Second Erdoğan' comparison: 'What do they mean?'

Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) Mayor and CHP's candidate for the new term, Ekrem İmamoğlu, stated that they would win the 14 districts currently governed by the CHP and add 14 more to that number.

THE 14+14 MESSAGE

According to a report by Başak Kaya from Sözcü, İmamoğlu said: “I believe we can win the majority in the municipal council. I don't think we will face any problems in any of the 14 municipalities currently governed by the CHP in Istanbul. I also see a tight race in an additional 14 municipalities. I see a parameter like 14+14. I am not saying that there is ‘no possibility’ in the others. We are in a very neck-and-neck position.”

"THE LAST 2-3 WEEKS WILL SHOW"

Evaluating the statements made by President and AKP Chairman Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, İmamoğlu said: “The President makes remarks about Istanbul in every speech. He just doesn't mention my name. I wish he would talk about inflation and retirees. People tell me, ‘As you keep talking, they might raise the retirees' salaries.’ I wish he would; I would be proud. The last two or three weeks will show how he will get involved in the Istanbul process.”

"WE WANT NEW METROPOLITAN MUNICIPALITIES"

When asked whether winning the election in Istanbul would be a success for the CHP, İmamoğlu replied, “We could call it everything.” He then added, “We definitely want to add metropolitan municipalities to this and we do not want to lose any metropolitan municipality.”

"HOPE WILL GROW EVEN MORE"

When asked by reporters, “Is it possible for Turkey to get rid of the one-man regime?”, İmamoğlu responded as follows:

“Istanbul has been very happy since it got rid of the one-man regime. The one-man made those he didn't want suffer from ‘metal fatigue,’ even though they hadn't left their posts, they were forced to leave. (Former IMM Mayor) Kadir Topbaş had to leave and then passed away. When the one-man regime wants, it makes someone a candidate, and after they are elected, it says they have ‘metal fatigue’ and removes them from office. In our term, Istanbul got rid of the one-man regime. Istanbul is growing this hope. It is probable that this hope will grow even more. Hopefully, in the next general election, this will be possible with the performance that the mass of people in our country who value democracy will put forward, as the opposition bloc, and primarily as the CHP, taking the step to get rid of this regime.”

“OUR RELATIONSHIP IS WHERE AKŞENER LEFT IT...”

Regarding the state of his relationship with İYİ Party leader Meral Akşener, Ekrem İmamoğlu replied, “There is no different situation for me. It stands where she left it.”

RESPONSE TO 'SECOND ERDOĞAN' COMPARISONS

Ekrem İmamoğlu objected to being defined politically as a second Erdoğan. The IMM Mayor said, “What is this Erdoğan potential? I don't understand. Throughout my life, I have been someone who claims and emphasizes being a democrat, even in 2019, claiming I would be the most democratic mayor ever. I am someone who emphasizes transparency. I am someone who does politics in the CHP. It is a situation that is diametrically opposed. I have never pretended in my life. I don't think we are very compatible. I don't know what they mean when they say ‘Second Erdoğan,’ I don't understand it.”