İmamoğlu calls on Erdoğan for a 'referendum' on Kanal Istanbul: Let the people decide the fate of this project of betrayal

Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor and CHP presidential candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu, who is currently detained at the Marmara Prison in Silivri, made a notable post on his social media account.

Addressing AKP Chairman and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, İmamoğlu proposed that ballot boxes be set up for a "Kanal Istanbul Referendum."

Stating, "Your concern is the Canal, my concern is Istanbul," İmamoğlu argued that the residents of the city should decide its fate.

In the continuation of his post, İmamoğlu called on Erdoğan with the following words:

"If you are not afraid of the nation's choice, if you can say that the people of Istanbul should decide the fate of their city, then let ballot boxes be set up for a Kanal Istanbul Referendum. Let the 16 million residents of Istanbul decide for their city. 

Let our nation decide the fate of this irreversible project of betrayal, which will place a burden of billions of dollars on the nation's back, destroy its air, water, agricultural lands, and nature; and make the city even more unlivable by increasing its population and traffic. 

If you do not put the ballot box before the nation, the nation will set up its own ballot box."

Senin derdin Kanal, benim derdim İstanbul.

İstanbul’a neden göz diktiğini biz de biliyoruz millet de biliyor. Cesaretin varsa koy sandığı milletin önüne, şehrin kaderine İstanbul karar versin.

Buradan Cumhurbaşkanı Erdoğan’a çağrı yapıyorum.

Eğer milletin tercihinden…

— Ekrem İmamoğlu (@ekrem_imamoglu) April 30, 2025

News Source: 12punto