Proteste in der Türkei: Es geht um die Zukunft der Demokratie

Seit der Bürgermeister von Istanbul verhaftet wurde kommt es, trotz Verboten, überall in der Türkei zu Massenprotesten.

Auf die Verhaftung des CHP-Bürgermeisters von Istanbul, Ekrem Imamoğlu, der vermutlich von der Opposition auch als nächster Präsidentschaftskandidat aufgestellt werden wird, reagierte nicht nur die türkische Börse mit drastischen Kursverlusten. Obwohl die Regierung ein viertägiges Demonstrationsverbot für Istanbul verhängte gingen Hunderttausende auf die Straße und auch in anderen Städten kam es zu Massenprotesten, bei denen bislang über 300 Menschen verhaftet wurden.

Dabei geht es um weit mehr als nur die Person Imamoğlu. Vielen ist klar, dass die Zukunft der Türkei auf dem Spiel steht und Präsident Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, dessen Beliebtheit laut Umfragen stetig sinkt, mit diesem Schritt endgültig den Weg in den Autoritarismus geht:

Der Guardian berichtet:

The arrest of the mayor of Turkey’s largest city in a dawn raid last week was a watershed moment in the country’s prolonged shift away from democracy. Opponents of president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan fear it is a move to ­sideline the sole challenger capable of defeating him in upcoming elections, expected before 2028.

(Bild: Demonstration in Istanbul, Quelle: Birgün)

İmamoğlu and more than 100 other people including municipal officials and the head of the mayor’s construction firm were served ­detention orders and accused of embezzlement and corruption – charges the mayor denies. He also denies terrorism charges levelled at him over collaboration with a leftwing political coalition prior to local elections last year, which saw major losses for Erdoğan’s Justice and Development party (AKP).

Justice minister Yılmaz Tunç attempted to rebuff any suspicion the charges against İmamoğlu and ­others from the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) were ­politicised. “Attempting to associate judicial investigations and cases with our president is, to say the least, an act of audacity and irresponsibility,” he said.

Within days, what began as protests in response to İmamoğlu’s detention has grown into something more. “This is bigger than İmamoğlu. It’s about a fight for democracy, law and equal rights,” said Azra as demonstrators massed around her.

The Turkish president has long sought to retake Istanbul from opposition control, fuelling protesters’ joy at defying a ban on gatherings in the city where Erdoğan began his ­political career as mayor. Standing outside a metro station as hundreds of cheering people poured into the street, breaking into anti-government chants and banging on the escalators, another protester, named Diler, called the demonstrations “a response to the pressure that has built up over years”.

“There are problems with the ­economy, with education, with the health ­system,” she said in a nod to the ­economic ­crisis that has seen the cost of ­living soar. “We are fed up with this government.”

Supporters of the mayor said 300,000 people joined the demonstration in Istanbul on Friday night, while video showed protesters taking to the streets and clashing with the police in major towns and cities across the country. Turkish interior minister Ali Yerlikaya said 343 ­people were detained across nine cities after taking part in demonstrations.