25/03/2026
On 23rd March at the midday press briefing of the EU Commission, EU’s position on the imprisonment of Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu, the presidential candidate of the main opposition in Turkey, was raised by a journalist. Here is the reply by the Spokesperson of the Commission:
“Last Thursday indeed marked one year since the detention of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu in Türkiye along with other elected officials and municipalities workers. So the continued detention and prosecution of Mayor İmamoğlu, of elected officials, opposition figures, political activists, civil society, business representatives, journalists, give rise to increasing questions regarding Türkiye’s commitment to democratic values. It also deepens our concerns about the independence of the judiciary.
As a candidate country and as a long-standing member of the Council of Europe, Türkiye should apply the highest democratic standards and practices. So safeguarding political pluralism and the ability of elected representatives to perform their duties without undue interference and without fear of unjust repression are essential elements of a democratic system. So the Commission 2025 enlargement report for Türkiye notes backsliding as regards the rule of law and democratic standards. So the EU is closely monitoring the situation and has continuously urged the Turkish authorities to follow due process.”
