Ekrem İmamoğlu facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ekrem İmamoğlu
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Ekrem İmamoğlu in 2024
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| Mayor of Istanbul | |
| In office 27 June 2019 – 20 March 2025 |
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| Preceded by | Ali Yerlikaya (acting) |
| Succeeded by | Nuri Aslan (acting) |
| In office 17 April 2019 – 6 May 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Mevlüt Uysal |
| Succeeded by | Ali Yerlikaya (acting) |
| Mayor of Beylikdüzü | |
| In office 1 April 2014 – 7 April 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Yusuf Uzun |
| Succeeded by | Mehmet Murat Çalık |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 4 June 1970 Akçaabat, Trabzon, Turkey |
| Political party | Republican People's Party (2008–present) |
| Other political affiliations |
Motherland Party (1992) |
| Spouse |
Dilek Kaya
(m. 1995) |
| Children | 3 |
| Alma mater | Istanbul University (BA, MA) |
| Signature |  |
Ekrem İmamoğlu (born 4 June 1970) is a Turkish businessman and politician. He is the 32nd Mayor of Istanbul, a very important city in Turkey. He is part of the Republican People's Party (CHP), which is a social democratic party. This means they believe in fairness and helping everyone in society.
He was first elected as Mayor of Istanbul in March 2019. He won by a small number of votes. However, this election was later cancelled. A new election was held in June 2019, and he won again by a much larger number of votes. He was re-elected for another term in the 2024 Istanbul mayoral elections. Before becoming Mayor of Istanbul, he was the Mayor of Beylikdüzü, a district in Istanbul, from 2014 to 2019.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Ekrem İmamoğlu was born in Akçaabat, near the city of Trabzon, on 4 June 1970. As a child, he lived in small communities called Cevizli and Yıldızlı. He went to Trabzon High School, where he enjoyed playing football and handball.
After high school, he studied at Girne American University in Northern Cyprus. He also played as a goalkeeper for a football team there. In 1987, his family moved to Istanbul. He then attended Istanbul University. He earned a degree in business administration and a master's degree in human resource management.
After finishing his studies, he joined his family's construction business. In 1995, he married Dilek Kaya. They have three children together. He also became involved in sports management, serving on the board of the Trabzonspor football club and as vice president of the Trabzonspor B.K. basketball team.
Political Journey
Ekrem İmamoğlu joined the Republican People's Party (CHP) in 2008. His family had different political views, but he chose the CHP. In 2009, he became the head of the party's youth group. Later that year, he was chosen to lead the CHP in the Istanbul district of Beylikdüzü. He was re-elected to this role in 2012.
In 2013, he decided to run for Mayor of Beylikdüzü. The election took place in March 2014. İmamoğlu won with more than half of the votes. He defeated the candidate from the AKP.
After the Mayor of Istanbul, Kadir Topbaş, resigned in 2017, İmamoğlu was suggested as a replacement by the CHP. However, he did not win that election.
2019 Istanbul Mayoral Elections
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The CHP nominated İmamoğlu again for the March 2019 Istanbul mayoral election. Other parties, like the Good Party and the HDP, decided not to nominate their own candidates. This helped İmamoğlu gain more support.
During his campaign, İmamoğlu became well-known for his calm and uniting style. This helped him gain popularity against his main opponent, Binali Yıldırım. The election was held on 31 March 2019. İmamoğlu won by about 25,000 votes. Many people saw him as a rising star in Turkish politics.
However, the ruling AKP challenged the election results. They claimed there were problems with some votes. İmamoğlu said that the AKP were "bad losers." After a recount, İmamoğlu's lead was reduced to about 16,000 votes.
Mayor of Istanbul (2019–Present)
Ekrem İmamoğlu officially became Mayor of Istanbul on 17 April 2019. This was 17 days after the election. But on 6 May 2019, the Supreme Electoral Council decided to cancel the election results. They removed him from his position as Mayor. The Council said that some election officials were not civil servants, which is required by law. Many people believed this decision was made to change the will of the voters.
A new election was held on 23 June 2019. This time, İmamoğlu was re-elected as Mayor of Istanbul by a much larger margin. He won by over 800,000 votes. His opponent, Binali Yıldırım, accepted the defeat and congratulated İmamoğlu. Even President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan congratulated him. İmamoğlu was sworn into office again on 27 June 2019. He was re-elected with a large victory in the 2024 Istanbul mayoral election.
Environmental Efforts
As Mayor, İmamoğlu started cleaning the bottom mud in the Golden Horn. This area had a lot of water pollution. After a long time, the Golden Horn became cleaner. Fish started swimming there, and dolphins were seen.
He also changed transportation on the Princes' Islands. Old horse-drawn carriages were replaced with eco-friendly electric vehicles. This helped both the horses and public health. His team also works to find risky buildings in Istanbul. This is important because of the risk of earthquakes in the city. İmamoğlu has also spoken against the government's plan to build the Istanbul Canal. This new waterway would connect the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea.
Social and Economic Support
The "People's Milk" project helps children get milk. It has reached over 130,000 children. This project helps prevent poor nutrition and supports families. The milk comes from local farmers, which also helps the local economy.
"Istanbul is our Home" kindergartens were created. They help children who might not get early education. These centers are designed to meet the needs of children. For the first time, Istanbul also gave education scholarships to 63,000 students. The monthly student transportation fee was also lowered. This made Istanbul one of the cheapest cities for student travel in Turkey.
Regional Employment Offices have helped over 17,000 people find jobs. Mothers with children aged 0-4 living in Istanbul now get free public transportation. This "Mother Card" helps mothers take part in social life and saves families money.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, an online aid campaign was started. It allowed people to help others pay their unpaid bills. People could donate to support families, mothers and babies, and students. The "People's Bread" project also became a way for people to help. People paid for bread at kiosks to be given to families in need.
Water bills for Istanbul residents were reduced by up to 34%. A "human right to water" was also introduced. This means that a certain amount of water consumed in homes is considered a basic right. The city also supports women's cooperatives. This helps women take part in production and values their work. A "Newborn Support Package" was launched for families in need. These packages include items for babies and mothers for the first four months. Experts also visit these families for a year to check on their needs.
Building and Infrastructure
The Esenler Coach Terminal was a dangerous and abandoned place for many years. It has now been made safe and comfortable. Floods that used to happen after heavy rains in Istanbul have been largely stopped. Many chronically flooded areas have been fixed.
The Haliç Shipyard, which was almost closing, has been brought back to life. It now produces Sea Taxis for the city. İmamoğlu has focused on improving rail systems in Istanbul. He has said that Istanbul is building more subways at the same time than any other city. Many metro lines that were stopped due to lack of money are now being completed. Funds were secured from financial groups who trusted Istanbul's new transparent approach. The Eminönü-Alibeyköy Tram Line, which was also stopped, has been completed and opened.
Cultural Projects
The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality bought a 540-year-old portrait of Mehmed the Conqueror. They bought it at an auction in London. During the COVID-19 pandemic, two projects were started to help musicians and theaters. This was important because cultural activities had stopped completely.
Agriculture and Farming
To help farmers, the municipality gave animal feed and seedlings to many producers. In 2020, over 16,000 tons of crops were grown on lands that were not used before.
Trial and 2023 Presidential Elections
In December 2022, Ekrem İmamoğlu faced a trial. This led to a sentence that was seen by many as an attempt to stop him from being a political rival. Many people protested this decision, and mayors from Europe came to Istanbul to show their support.
For the 2023 Turkish presidential elections, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu was the main candidate for the opposition. Ekrem İmamoğlu and Mansur Yavaş were named as his potential vice-president candidates. During a rally in Erzurum, İmamoğlu was attacked by a group of people. Stones were thrown, and several people were hurt.
After the presidential election, İmamoğlu called for big changes within his party, the CHP. He wrote a letter explaining that political party structures in Turkey needed to be updated.
Political Views
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Ekrem İmamoğlu describes himself as a social democrat. He says he learned about these ideas while studying in Northern Cyprus. He is also a member of the Atatürkist Thought Association, which follows the ideas of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.
He has shown his opposition to corruption. For example, he displayed hundreds of cars that were rented by the previous city administration. He has also spoken out against the government banning a Kurdish-language play. At a meeting of mayors in Copenhagen, Denmark, he discussed how cities can prepare better for climate change. In November 2019, he received the Kybele German-Turkish Friendship Award.
When the Hagia Sophia museum was changed back into a mosque, İmamoğlu stated that "for me it has been a mosque since 1453."
Election Results
Local Elections
| Election | Party | Votes | % | Outcome | Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 2014
Beylikdüzü |
Republican People's Party | 76,034 | 50.83% | 1st | N/A |
| March 2019
Istanbul |
4,169,765 | 48.77% | 1st |  |
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| June 2019
Istanbul |
4,742,082 | 54.22% | 1st |  |
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| March 2024
Istanbul |
4,438,727 | 51.21% | 1st |  |
See also
- Canan Kaftancıoğlu
- Municipal Council of Istanbul
