Protests in Turkey Push Republican People's Party to Demand Early Elections
The Turkish opposition's call for elections in November comes amid escalating political protests, reflecting the challenges facing Turkey's ruling party and growing public anger over sensitive politic
April 7, 2025, 12:03 am

Protests in Turkey Push Republican People's Party to Demand Early Elections

المظاهرات في تركيا \ تعبيرية \ متداولة

The leader of the Republican People's Party, Özgür Özel, has demanded early elections in Turkey no later than November, following ten days of nationwide protests triggered by the detention of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu.

During an extraordinary conference of his party in Ankara, Özel said: "No later than November, you will face our candidate... We call on you to appeal again to the will of the people, we challenge you."

He added: "If you have the courage, you will accept, and if you wish, elections could be held in the first week of June, with the shortest possible timeline. And if you consider the date too tight, let them be in the middle of your term in November."

The Republican People's Party secured 37.8% of the votes in the March 2024 municipal elections, winning in many major cities such as Istanbul and Ankara, as well as in strongholds of the Justice and Development Party led by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Earlier, the Republican People's Party denounced what it described as a "coup" and led demonstrations attended by tens of thousands in Istanbul and other cities following İmamoğlu's detention on March 19.

These calls come at a sensitive time for the Turkish government, which faces increasing popular protests and political challenges from the opposition, further complicating the political landscape in the country amid internal tensions.

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