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In March 2025, Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu was jailed on corruption charges — the same day he was elected as the Turkish opposition’s presidential candidate by 15 million voters in an unprecedented primary. His candidacy poses a significant challenge to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s 22-year rule and redefines the Islamist-secularist divide by resonating with both religious and secular voters. As Erdoğan’s support declines amid economic turmoil, Turkey’s opposition offers a potential model for resisting authoritarian populism. This political shift carries broader implications for the future of secularism, Islamism, and democratic resilience — not only in Turkey but across the Muslim world and beyond.
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