Striking Ekrem İmamoğlu analysis from the Financial Times! 'He has both the Nutuk and the Quran on his desk'

Turkey has left the March 31 local elections behind. The elections, in which the CHP became the leading party across Turkey for the first time in 47 years and the AKP suffered its first defeat in 22 years, have also resonated widely in the world press.

The moments when Ekrem İmamoğlu, who won re-election as Mayor of Istanbul (İBB) on March 31, was seen praying caught the attention of the UK-based Financial Times newspaper.

Publishing a striking report on İmamoğlu, the FT underscored that he holds vital importance for the opposition in Turkey. The newspaper described İmamoğlu as "charismatic and a softer kind of religious."

"HE HAS BOTH THE NUTUK AND THE QURAN ON HIS DESK"

The report further stated that this temperament of İmamoğlu has enabled him to attract votes from outside the CHP, which is founded on secular ideology. Referring to İmamoğlu's statement to the Financial Times, "I truly want the Republic of Turkey to exist for centuries in a secular order, a democratic order, and with this diversity," the newspaper wrote about him: "On his desk, both the Nutuk, an important speech by Atatürk, and the Quran are displayed."

İMAMOĞLU IS ERDOĞAN'S BIGGEST RIVAL

The report stated that with 52-year-old İmamoğlu's victory in the latest elections, he has emerged as the biggest rival to AKP Chairman and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

İmamoğlu is the most [prominent rival] of AKP Chairman and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan