Protests following detention order for İmamoğlu gain widespread coverage in world press: 'A blow to Erdoğan'

Turkey is being shaken by successive protest demonstrations following the detention of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu. İmamoğlu, who is mentioned as the CHP's presidential candidate, and 106 employees within the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) were detained on Wednesday, March 19; this development created a massive wave across Turkey.

Thousands of people took to the streets following the detention order, holding protest demonstrations in many cities, led primarily by young people and university students. Squares were filled in Ankara, İzmir, Eskişehir, and Antalya, with Saraçhane at the forefront.

MADE HEADLINES IN THE WORLD PRESS

International media outlets, which closely follow developments in Turkey, have kept the detentions and protests on their agendas. Many major news organizations from the US to the UK, and from Germany to France, carried the protests in Turkey on their front pages.

The latest developments in Turkey are on the world press's agenda as follows:

Al Jazeera: “Protesters said they aimed to send a message about ‘systemic injustice’”

The Qatar-based television channel Al Jazeera covered the gathering of a large number of people in Saraçhane yesterday with the headline, “Thousands in Turkey's Istanbul march to protest mayor's arrest.”

In Al Jazeera's report, it was stated that thousands of protesters defied the warning from President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and officials that they would suppress “street terror,” noting, “Protesters joined a march in Istanbul in support of the city's arrested mayor.” The report noted that protesters said, “This movement is not about supporting any political party, but rather aims to send a message about ‘systemic injustice’ in Turkish society.” Regarding Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor İmamoğlu, Al Jazeera used the phrase, “İmamoğlu dealt a ‘historic blow’ to Erdoğan and the Justice and Development Party, which has controlled Istanbul for a quarter of a century, by being elected mayor of Turkey's largest city in March 2019.”

BBC: “The elections İmamoğlu won last year were also a personal blow to President Erdoğan”

The UK-based broadcaster BBC used the headline “Erdoğan condemns protests in Turkey, dozens arrested” in its report covering yesterday's protests. The report stated that “President Erdoğan condemned the growing protests in Turkey days after the arrest of a key opposition figure,” and noted that “İmamoğlu is seen as one of Erdoğan's strongest political rivals.”

In its report, the BBC also included a commentary stating that “with İmamoğlu being elected Mayor of Istanbul for the second time last year, it was the first time since Erdoğan came to power that his party suffered a defeat at the ballot box nationwide.” The report used the expression that “the elections were also a personal blow to the President, who grew up in Istanbul and became the Mayor of Istanbul while coming to power.”

FT: “The CBRT's $12 billion intervention underscores the severity of the political crisis's impact on investor confidence and market stability”

The UK-based Financial Times (FT) newspaper also drew attention to the volatility in the Turkish economy following İmamoğlu's detention with the headline, “Turkey spends a record $12 billion to defend the lira after the arrest of Erdoğan's rival.”

The FT stated that “following the detention of İmamoğlu, the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey (CBRT) made the largest intervention on record, spending approximately $12 billion in foreign exchange reserves after the Turkish lira fell to its ‘lowest level in history,’ with a decline of up to 11 percent against the US dollar.” The FT pointed out that this intervention “underscores the severity of the political crisis's impact on investor confidence and market stability.”

CNN: “Violent clashes occurred during protests in Turkey over the detention of Erdoğan's main political rival”

The US-based television channel CNN also used the phrase, “Violent clashes occurred in Turkey as protests continued over the detention of Erdoğan's main political rival.” Regarding the events, CNN stated, “Violent clashes occurred for the second day in various cities across Turkey between demonstrators demanding the release of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor İmamoğlu, opposition supporters, and state security forces.”

RT: “Growing protests nationwide have strengthened the possibility of early elections”

In an analysis piece featured on the Russia-based broadcaster Russia Today (RT) with the headline, “Erdoğan's trouble: The Turkish President's strongest rival has been arrested. What happens now?”, the latest developments in Turkey were covered. The article commented that “the government took a risky gamble by targeting a key opposition leader ahead of his party's primary,” and stated, “İmamoğlu's detention has further worsened Turkey's internal political situation and triggered negative economic effects.” The article also included the following statements:

“Analysts view İmamoğlu's arrest as a preemptive strike by authorities aimed at neutralizing a strong rival at a time when support for President Erdoğan is waning. Although there are three years until the next presidential vote, İmamoğlu had recently intensified his campaign and called for early elections due to the country's worsening economic crisis. The growing protests nationwide have strengthened the possibility of early elections and prompted the government to remove one of the key figures of the opposition long before the campaign period.”