(Bloomberg) — Turkish authorities have launched an investigation into Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, one of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s biggest political rivals.
The Istanbul Public Prosecutor’s Office accused Imamoglu of making “threatening” statements against Istanbul Chief Prosecutor Akin Gürlek and his family, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported. Imamoglu rejected the allegations in a post on X.
Imamoglu is a member of Türkiye’s main opposition Republican People’s Party and is considered a main contender for Erdogan. He first rose to prominence in 2019 after unexpectedly defeating Erdogan’s party in an election in Turkey’s largest city, a feat he repeated last year. He secured a second term in March in a vote that polls suggested was too close to call.
Istanbul’s benchmark equity gauges traded mostly flat after local media reported the investigation. Earlier it had increased by 0.7%. The lira fell 0.4% to 35.6049 per dollar, extending its decline for a second straight day.
The Turkish government has stepped up crackdowns on opposition-held municipalities after suffering heavy losses in major cities including Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir. Recently, municipal bank accounts have been frozen due to social security debts, hampering local governments’ ability to operate.
The mayor of Istanbul is also facing a separate case where he is accused of insulting members of Türkiye’s election authority. In the 2019 election, Imamoglu’s victory was initially annulled and he was forced to contest again. If the initial prison sentence of two years and seven months is upheld by higher appeals courts, the high-profile figure in Turkey’s opposition faces political sanctions.
More stories like this are available on Bloomberg.com
