Ekrem İmamoğlu

Ekrem İmamoğlu and his spouse Dilek during his June 2019 Istanbul mayoral election campaign in Silivri.

The CHP again nominated İmamoğlu for the 2019 Istanbul mayoral election on 18 December 2018.[19] Both the Good Party, which formed an alliance with the CHP, and Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) declined to nominate candidates, which may have increased support for İmamoğlu.[20]

In the run-up to the elections, his campaign received worldwide attention for its mild-mannered and unifying approach, resulting in a narrowing of opinion polls against his rival, People's Alliance candidate Binali Yıldırım.[21] The election was held on 31 March 2019, with İmamoğlu defeating AK Party candidate Binali Yıldırım by roughly 25,000 votes according to the election day totals released by the Supreme Electoral Council. Following his upset victory in which the ruling AKP significantly outspent him and received more media coverage, İmamoğlu was called a rising star in Turkish politics and a potential candidate to challenge Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in the 2023 Turkish presidential election.[22]

The AK Party disputed the election results on behalf of its candidate, alleging that invalid votes may have swayed the election, and erected large posters in the city proclaiming Yıldırım as the election's winner.[23] İmamoğlu, in turn, accused the AK Party of being "bad losers."[24] Following a government-backed recount, İmamoğlu's lead was reduced to roughly 16,000 votes.[25]

İmamoğlu started a continuous bottom mud cleaning in the Golden Horn, which was frequently on the agenda with water pollution. After a long time, the Golden Horn regained its natural vitality, with fish swimming and dolphins racing.[36] The phaeton transportation, which has been the subject of discussion for many years in the Princes' Islands, with both the conditions of horses and the infectious diseases that adversely affect public health, has left its place to nature-friendly electric vehicles as a result of the "Prince's Islands Transportation Workshop".[37] Against the earthquake risk, which is the top priority of Istanbul, risky areas and rotten buildings are detected with detection scans all over the city.[38] İmamoğlu has been critical of the Turkish government's plans to build the Istanbul canal,[39][40] which would link the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea through a second waterway beside the natural Bosphorus.[41]

Ekrem İmamoğlu giving a speech in 2019

The People's Milk project that started for children to have access to milk has reached more than 130 thousand children. The People's Milk project has been launched to prevent malnutrition, one of the most important dangers of urban poverty, and to provide economic and psychological support to families, also to support local dairy farmers. Milk, which is procured from producers in Çatalca and Silivri, providing a budget of more than 3 million liras to the local economy, is delivered to children in Istanbul as a reliable and healthy food source.[42] "Istanbul is our Home" kindergartens, which provide equal opportunities in education for children who are deprived of pre-school education and their families, were established as centers that were meticulously planned in accordance with the physical and social needs of children.[43] In Istanbul, which hosts the leading universities of Turkey, education support scholarships were provided to 63 thousand students for the first time in the history of Istanbul.[44] With the monthly student subscription fee reduced from 80 TL to 50 TL, Istanbul became the city that provides the cheapest student transportation in Turkey.[45] Regional Employment Offices, one of the important projects implemented by IMM, enabled more than 17 thousand citizens to participate in employment as of June 2021.[46] Mothers with children aged 0–4 residing in Istanbul were given free public transportation right in Istanbul. The Mother Card, which increases the participation of mothers in social life and contributes to the family economy, has been used more than 8 million times to date.[47] An online aid campaign has been launched, calling on better-off residents to help financially troubled dwellers in paying their unpaid bills, as the coronavirus pandemic has strained many households in Turkey's largest city. People who want to help can participate in solidarity through a reliable platform by donating whatever they want from the Family Support, Mother-Baby and Student Support packages prepared by IMM to deliver to those in need.[48] People's Bread project turned into a social aid campaign spontaneously after İmamoğlu thanked a benevolent Istanbulite for demanding that all bread in a mobile Halk Ekmek kiosk be paid for and delivered to those in need.[49] The support given by philanthropists to deliver them to families in need has exceeded 1 million lira in total. The water bills of Istanbul residents were reduced by up to 34% and the human right to water was introduced for every Istanbulite. Accordingly, 0.5 cubic meters, or 500 liters, of every 2.5 cubic meters of water consumed in residences is now considered a "human right to water". 9 years after this right was accepted at the UN Human Rights Council, Istanbul residents are starting to get their rights for the first time.[50] IMM gives priority to women's cooperatives in the products to be supplied to families in need, with the movement it started throughout Turkey, especially in Istanbul, for the participation of women in production and the evaluation of women's labor.[51] The Newborn Support Package was launched to support families in need. Packages containing everything that a baby and a mother will need in the first 4 months, from feeding bottles to thermometers, from booties to pajamas, from baby shampoo to diapers and family training books, have reached the first families and the distribution of new ones continues. In addition, the families that the package reaches are visited by experts for a year, and their needs are determined.[52]

Esenler Coach Terminal, where many newcomers to Istanbul were welcomed for the first time and which has been on the agenda for many years with its abandoned and dangerous condition, has become a safe and comfortable terminal as a result of a detailed project design.[53] The floods, which occurred after the rain in most parts of the city and caused great financial losses to the Istanbulites, were largely eliminated. As of December 2020, works were completed in 63 of 104 chronically flooded locations in Istanbul under the coordination of IMM.[54] Haliç Shipyard, which has not been operated for many years and is on the verge of closure, has gained life both historically and functionally with meticulous work done by IMM. The shipyard also undertakes the production of Sea Taxis, which will be put into service by IMM in the near future.[55] As a result of the works that started with the aim of IMM focusing on rail systems in the new period and making rail systems the backbone of public transportation, Imamoğlu claimed on Twitter that Istanbul became the city with the most subway constructions carried out at the same time.[56] Due to the lack of funds for a long time, the 103.4-kilometer-long metro construction in 10 metro lines, most of which was incomplete or never started, was stopped. Funds were provided from financial institutions, which gained the trust of the management approach based on transparency and merit in Istanbul, for the move that put an end to a waste of 11 billion liras.[57] Eminönü-Alibeyköy Tram Line, which was stopped due to financing problems, was completed in the new period of IMM and opened to the service of Istanbulites.[58]

IMM purchased the 540-year-old portrait of Mehmed the Conqueror at an auction opened by the London National Gallery.[59] Two different projects have been implemented to support musicians and theaters who have been subjected to a difficult process due to the pandemic, which caused the cultural and artistic activities to come to a complete halt.[60]

To support farmers, IMM gave animal feed and seedlings to 474 producers. 16,380 tons of crops were obtained in 2020 with the re-introduction of agricultural lands that were left idle.[61]

On 1 December 2020, OdaTV reported that the Islamic State plotted to assassinate İmamoğlu. It was reported that a group of ISIS militants had been caught. Also, İmamoğlu's security guards had been instructed to “be more careful” on 23 November 2020.[62] The Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu said: "We receive intelligence like this from time to time, but they are not disclosed to the public," but the Turkish Police denied that an assassination attempt was in place. It also refuted claims that the assassins were apprehended.[63]

On 14 December 2022, Ekrem İmamoğlu was sentenced to two years in prison for calling the Turkish Supreme Election Council "fools" three years prior.[64] The ruling has been seen as an attempt by the Erdoğan government to centralize power against popular opposition, and remove a potential political rival.[65][66] The trial drew wide international condemnation, and protests were organized in front of the Istanbul Municipality in response to it.[67] Additionally, European mayors gathered in Istanbul in a show of support.[68]

Announcement of Ekrem İmamoğlu and Mansur Yavaş as vice presidential candidates by Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu

For the 2023 Turkish presidential elections, leader of Republican People's Party, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu declared his candidacy.[69] Ekrem İmamoğlu, Mansur Yavaş and the leaders of five parties in the Nation Alliance were named as vice-president candidates.[70]

On 7 May, Ekrem İmamoğlu was attacked during a pro-Kılıçdaroğlu rally in Erzurum. His rally was interrupted, and stones were thrown by a mob of roughly 200 people,[71] who attacked both the people gathered for the rally and İmamoğlu.[72] İmamoğlu said at least 9 people from the rally crowd were wounded by the stones that were thrown by the attackers.[73] Later it was reported that 17 people were severely wounded and taken to the hospital.[74] Government officials and members of the leading party praised the attackers and blamed İmamoğlu for hosting the rally in Erzurum.[75]

Following Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's easy victory in the presidential runoff election on May 28, he has called for significant changes inside the major opposition Republican People's Party (CHP).[76]

During a press conference on Wednesday, Imamoglu obliquely challenged CHP leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu, claiming that cosmetic changes, such as dissolving and renewing the party's central management committee, would be insufficient to accomplish true transformation.[77]

On July 28, he wrote a letter to Gazete Oksijen explaining what he meant by "change within his party."[78] His letter came one day after he stated that society demanded that the CHP's leadership and administration be changed. In a comprehensive letter, Imamoglu stated that present political party structures "do not meet the needs of Turkey."[79]