Turkey-EU relations will be 'poisoned' by detention of Erdogan's rival, analyst says

Record ID: 1985553

  • Title: Turkey-EU relations will be 'poisoned' by detention of Erdogan's rival, analyst says
  • Date: 19th March 2025
  • Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (MARCH 19, 2025) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) SENIOR CONSULTING FELLOW AT CHATHAM HOUSE, GALIP DALAY, SAYING: "Political energy that was going to support Imamoglu now probably will support another candidate that opposition might put forward because the sense of discontent, the anger probably will channeled energy to be directed to whoever
  • Embargoed:
  • Keywords: DETENTION Ekrem Imamoglu OPPOSITION TURKEY Tayyip Erdogan
  • Location: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM / ISTANBUL AND ANKARA, TURKEY
  • City: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM / ISTANBUL AND ANKARA, TURKEY
  • Country: Turkey
  • Topics: Europe,Middle East,Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA005005719032025RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Relations between Turkey and the European Union will be '"very poisoned" by the detention of President Erdogan's main political rival, Senior Consulting Fellow at Chatham House, Galip Dalay, told Reuters on Wednesday (March 19).
    Turkey detained Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, the main rival of President Tayyip Erdogan, on charges of corruption and aiding a terrorist group in what the main opposition party on Wednesday called "a coup against our next president."
    The move against the popular two-term mayor caps a months-long legal crackdown on opposition figures across the country which has been criticised as a politicised attempt to hurt their electoral prospects and silence dissent.
    "Now the climate for such a broader new form of relationship between Europe and Turkey will be very poisoned, will be very affected by what has just happened. So in essence, we might still see the defence industry and the security cooperation, geopolitical cooperation, but that may not extend to other fields that will be very much beneficial for Turkey," Dalay added.
    Imamoglu, 54, who leads Erdogan in some opinion polls, was to be named his Republican People's Party's (CHP) official presidential candidate within days. He now faces two separate investigations that also include charges of leading a crime organisation, bribery and tender rigging.
    (Production: Vitalii Yalahuzian)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2025. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
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