Erdogan turns to Putin playbook

The arrest of popular Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, the main political rival of key NATO member Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, reeks of Vladimir Putin’s notorious playbook for how to deal with pesky opponents. That is no surprise given what The Wall Street Journal reports is the “slide towards Russian-style authoritarian rule” by ardent Islamist Mr Erdogan, including an attempt to join the BRICS group of anti-Western nations dominated by Russia and China and including Iran’s terrorist-supporting ayatollahs.

The Republican People’s Party had been preparing to nominate Mr Imamoglu, 53, as its candidate to take on Mr Erdogan, 71, at the next election, due in 2028. He was barred from running in 2023. That ban backfired in 2024 when Turkish voters gave the opposition a landslide victory in local government elections that included Mr Imamoglu trouncing Mr Erdogan’s hand-picked candidate for Istanbul mayor by 51 to 40 per cent.

That embarrassing rebuff for the Turkish President came after almost a quarter century in power as prime minister and president, after he first rose to prominence as Istanbul’s mayor. The city has long been his main political base.

As he angles for a fourth term, Mr Erdogan is taking no chances. The Turkish constitution requires presidential candidates to have a university degree. Last week, Istanbul University handily revoked Mr Imamoglu’s degree. Then he was arrested and thrown in jail on what appear to be trumped-up charges that include leading a criminal organisation, taking bribes and an array of financial crimes. Prosecutors also have accused him of terrorism-related charges connected to his co-operation with a pro-Kurdish party in a recent election.

Mr Imamoglu has denied all the allegations. Tens of thousands of Turks have taken to the streets to protest against Mr Erdogan’s latest assault on what passes for democracy under his leadership. They are right to do so. Mr Erdogan has never been anything but authoritarian, but his targeting of Mr Imamoglu casts a dark shadow over a NATO member. His approach is doubtless a sign of his political weakness. Turkey’s economy is in dire straits. Annual inflation exceeded 44 per cent in 2024. Through the years Mr Erdogan shamelessly has packed the country’s highest court, harassed or jailed critical journalists, weakened parliament and meddled in the workings of the central bank.

Now he is going hard against political opponents. He may be fearful of the support Mr Imamoglu received when he won Istanbul’s mayoralty. But using Putin’s gangster-style tactics to try to curb freedom and snuff out the opposition is not the answer. It is likely to provoke even greater hostility.