Istanbul Mayor, Erdogan's Main Rival, Declines to Run in Elections

Local media reports indicate that Ekrem İmamoğlu, member of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) and Mayor of Istanbul, who was considered a potential main rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in the upcoming elections, has announced that his nominee is party leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu.

“There is no candidacy for Ekrem İmamoğlu; every candidate of the CHP is the president. My nominee is the head of the party council,” he stated.

İmamoğlu noted that by Monday, the leaders of the two parties would clarify this issue.

It should be reminded that the leaders of Turkey's six opposition parties have indicated that the next meeting will take place on March 6, and on that day the name of the candidate will be presented to the public.