Key Points
Ekrem Imamoglu's second victory in an Istanbul city election on Sunday cemented his standing as Turkey's top opposition leader in a new blow to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his ruling party.ge..
The football-loving 52-year-old, who first became the mega-city's mayor in 2019, again defeated Erdogan's chosen candidate in the country's economic powerhouse despite a concerted effort to unseat him by the veteran president..
Imamoglu's rise from local Istanbul district leader to mayor came in an anti-Erdogan wave that allowed opposition parties to take power in Turkey's major cities including the capital, Ankara..
A new generation of leaders from the staunchly secular CHP, including Imamoglu in Istanbul and Mansur Yavas in Ankara, offered a clear alternative to Erdogan's Islamic-rooted AKP..
Since Erdogan won a new term in last year's presidential election, Imamoglu has challenged the leadership of his CHP, calling for change after former leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu was defeated..
