Ankara Mayor Yavas suspends presidential bid in solidarity with Imamoglu after diploma revocation

Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavas announced Tuesday he is suspending consideration of his own presidential candidacy in a show of solidarity with Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, whose university diploma was revoked earlier in the day by Istanbul University.

“I am announcing to the public that I am suspending my decision to ‘evaluate my presidential candidacy when the time comes’ until this unlawfulness is eliminated,” Yavas declared in a strongly worded statement that frames the diploma controversy as a direct attack on Türkiye’s democratic institutions.

The announcement represents a significant realignment in opposition politics, as Yavas had been considered a potential alternative presidential candidate for the main opposition party CHP. His decision to stand firmly with Imamoglu signals growing opposition unity in the face of what they characterize as politically motivated legal maneuvers.

Istanbul University revoked the diploma of Imamoglu and 27 other individuals on Tuesday, citing “nullity” and “clear error” as grounds for cancellation. The action effectively blocks Imamoglu’s potential presidential bid, as Türkiye’s law requires candidates to hold a valid university degree.

“After the decision to cancel the legally valid diploma of our Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor and my colleague Ekrem Imamoglu, Turkish democracy has unfortunately entered another phase,” Yavas said in his statement.

He emphasized that Imamoglu had already secured sufficient backing from CHP’s parliamentary group to participate in the party’s presidential primary election scheduled for March 23.

“Eliminating rivals in a way that does not comply with democracy is primarily the greatest evil that can be done to Türkiye and its democracy, which it has tried to institutionalize for decades,” Yavas added.