The New İmamoğlu

There are still those among us who cannot grasp what is happening and how. In 2007, the rule of law was effectively dismantled through fabricated evidence, and since that day, we have been sliding further down in democracy rankings every day. Osman Kavala, Can Atalay, Selahattin Demirtaş, and Ümit Özdağ are imprisoned. First, "the man won," then the lost election was annulled. On the evening of Saturday, March 22, despite 1.5 million people watching the Saraçhane Rally on digital platforms, television channels ended their broadcasts following a warning from RTÜK. We keep failing to win elections because we have been unable to accept for over 20 years that they have the power to do whatever they want while in office, and we have failed to calculate accordingly. If we understood this, we would win this election. However, I explained in my article dated January 21, 2025, that this will not happen in the near future and that the government will become as authoritarian as it wishes.

International balances give Erdoğan the chance to do whatever he wants within the country. İmamoğlu's political life is being ended. Erdoğan absolutely does not care about the reaction of the masses who do not vote for him. For this reason, those who are not on Erdoğan's side calculate the decisions Erdoğan might make incorrectly. There is a mathematics to this, and those who say they will definitely not vote for Erdoğan in the polls are now living in the country out of necessity. Days will pass, and we will get used to this too. From now on, unless there is necessary external pressure, it is not rational to expect İmamoğlu's release.

The İmamoğlu clique has been left headless. The Lawyers for Change Group had won the election in which they came in first with 25% by receiving open support from this clique. On Friday, March 21, the Istanbul 2nd Civil Court of First Instance terminated the tenure of the Istanbul Bar Association administration. Although President Prof. Dr. İbrahim Özden Kaboğlu announced that he would continue his duty, it is not difficult to foresee that this decision will be executed as soon as conditions are appropriate. In my article about the change in the Bar Association, I wrote that it was not possible to turn the Istanbul Bar Association into a Medical Association. In 5 months, the Bar Association turned into the Medical Association.

The Attorneys Act stipulates that a new election should be held one month after the decision to terminate the duty becomes final, which is quite fast. However, since there is no clear regulation stating that those removed from office will continue to serve until the decision becomes final, the decision takes effect from the moment it is given, but for the election, the decision must become final and one month must pass. In the interval between the decision date and the new election date, a trustee is appointed to the Bar Association, and the trustee leads the bar to the election. The Attorneys Act prohibits the Bar Administration whose duty has been terminated from being candidates again in the first election to be held. Furthermore, since their duties have been terminated, it is no longer possible for them to resign.

The judicial process for the annulment of the CHP's November 2023 Convention is also coming to an end. If the convention is annulled, the party administration could change from scratch because it would have retroactive consequences. The same delegates will vote again at the convention, and Özgür Özel had won against Kılıçdaroğlu by a very small margin. In other words, many possibilities are possible. Who will be appointed as the trustee to take the party to the election will determine the path drawn for the party.

Removing some people from the game and liquidating cliques benefits everyone else, that is, the new İmamoğlus. Every vacated position means the advancement of those left behind and the inclusion of those who were left out into the game. While Turkish youth are being drowned in gas and plastic bullets in the field, those in office are calculating how to protect their seats behind the scenes. When the reaction created by this lawlessness fades among the public, it seems everyone will look ahead and go about their business.