Ekrem İmamoğlu facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ekrem İmamoğlu |
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İmamoğlu in 2024
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| Mayor of Istanbul | |
| Assumed office 27 June 2019 |
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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 |
| Nationality | Turkish |
| Political party | Republican People's Party (since 2008) |
| Other political affiliations |
Motherland Party (1992) |
| Spouse(s) |
Dilek Kaya
(m. 1995) |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | Istanbul University (BA, MA) |
| Signature |  |
Ekrem İmamoğlu (born 4 June 1970) is a Turkish politician and businessman. He has served as the 32nd Mayor of Istanbul since 2019. He is currently suspended from his role. He is a member of the Republican People's Party (CHP).
İmamoğlu was born in Akçaabat and moved to Istanbul in 1987. He studied business administration and human resource management at Istanbul University. After his studies, he worked in his family's construction business. In 2002, he joined the board of the sports club Trabzonspor. İmamoğlu became a member of the CHP in 2008. He was elected as the mayor of Beylikdüzü in 2014.
In March 2019, İmamoğlu was elected as Mayor of Istanbul. He won against the ruling party's candidate. The election results were later canceled, but İmamoğlu was reelected in June 2019. During his time as mayor, he worked on several projects. These included helping children get milk, offering scholarships, and lowering public transport costs. He also led Istanbul's efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic. İmamoğlu was reelected as Istanbul Mayor for a second term in 2024.
In December 2022, İmamoğlu faced legal challenges. He was sentenced to a prison term and banned from politics. This was due to comments he made about public officials. His sentence was put on hold while he appealed. In March 2025, İmamoğlu was arrested on accusations of wrongdoing. This led to his suspension as mayor. His university diplomas were also canceled. This made him unable to run for president. His arrest caused protests across Turkey.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Ekrem İmamoğlu was born on June 4, 1970. He was born in Akçaabat, a town near Trabzon. As a child, he lived in small communities. He went to Trabzon High School. There, he played football and handball. After high school, he studied at Girne American University in Northern Cyprus. He also played as a goalkeeper for a local football team.
In 1987, his family moved to Istanbul. He then attended Istanbul University. He earned a degree in business administration. He also got 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. In 2002, he became a board member of Trabzonspor. He was also a vice president for the Trabzonspor B.K. basketball team.
Political Journey
İmamoğlu's father was a member of the Motherland Party. İmamoğlu briefly joined their youth group in the early 1990s. However, his mother's family supported the Republican People's Party (CHP). İmamoğlu joined the CHP in 2008. He became the head of the party's youth group in 2009.
On September 16, 2009, the CHP chose him to lead their local branch in Beylikdüzü, Istanbul. He was reelected to this role in 2012. He then resigned in 2013 to run for mayor of Beylikdüzü. The election was held on March 30, 2014. İmamoğlu won with 50.83% of the votes. He defeated the current mayor from the AK Party.
After Istanbul Mayor Kadir Topbaş resigned in 2017, İmamoğlu was nominated by the CHP to take his place. However, İmamoğlu lost to the AK Party candidate Mevlüt Uysal in the city assembly election.
Istanbul Mayoral Elections in 2019
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The CHP nominated İmamoğlu again for the March 2019 Istanbul mayoral election on December 18, 2018. Other parties, like the Good Party and Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), did not nominate their own candidates. This may have helped İmamoğlu gain more support.
His campaign gained attention for its calm and uniting approach. This helped him close the gap in opinion polls against his opponent, Binali Yıldırım. The election took place on March 31, 2019. İmamoğlu won by about 25,000 votes. This was a surprise victory, as the ruling AK Party spent much more money and got more media coverage. İmamoğlu was seen as a rising star in Turkish politics.
The AK Party challenged the election results. They claimed that invalid votes might have changed the outcome. İmamoğlu accused the AK Party of being "bad losers." After a government-backed recount, İmamoğlu's lead was reduced to about 16,000 votes.
Mayor of Istanbul (2019–Present)
İmamoğlu officially became Mayor of Istanbul on April 17, 2019. This was 17 days after the election. However, on May 6, 2019, the Supreme Electoral Council canceled the election results. They removed him as Mayor of Istanbul. The Council stated that some election officials were not civil servants, which is against Turkish law. Many people believed this was an attempt to ignore the voters' choice. Ali Yerlikaya was named the temporary mayor.
A new election was held on June 23, 2019. İmamoğlu was re-elected as mayor of Istanbul. This time, he won by more than 800,000 votes. After his second loss, Binali Yıldırım accepted defeat and congratulated İmamoğlu. President Erdoğan also congratulated İmamoğlu. İmamoğlu was sworn into office again on June 27, 2019.
Environmental Efforts
İmamoğlu started cleaning the bottom mud in the Golden Horn. This area often had water pollution problems. After a while, the Golden Horn became healthier. Fish and dolphins returned to the waters. On the Princes' Islands, traditional horse-drawn phaetons were replaced with electric vehicles. This change helped the horses and prevented the spread of diseases. The city also began checking for risky areas and unsafe buildings to prepare for earthquakes. İmamoğlu has also spoken against the government's plan to build the Istanbul Canal. This canal would create a second waterway between the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea.
Social and Economic Programs
The "People's Milk" project helps children get milk. It has reached over 130,000 children. This project aims to prevent poor nutrition and support families. It also helps local dairy farmers. Milk from Çatalca and Silivri is given to children in Istanbul. "Istanbul is our Home" kindergartens were also created. These centers help children who did not have access to pre-school education. For the first time, Istanbul provided education scholarships to 63,000 university students.
The monthly student public transport fee was lowered from 80 TL to 50 TL. This made Istanbul's student transport the cheapest in Turkey. Regional Employment Offices helped over 17,000 citizens find jobs. Mothers with children aged 0–4 living in Istanbul received free public transportation. This "Mother Card" has been used more than 8 million times. An online aid campaign was launched during the pandemic. It allowed people to help others pay their unpaid bills. The "People's Bread" project also became a social aid campaign. People could pay for bread to be given to those in need.
Water bills for Istanbul residents were reduced by up to 34%. The idea of a "human right to water" was introduced. This means 500 liters of water per month for every household is considered a basic right. The city also supports women's cooperatives. This helps women participate in production and use their skills. 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 Transport Projects
The Esenler Coach Terminal was a large bus station that had become unsafe. It was renovated and made into a safe and comfortable terminal. Floods, which often caused damage after heavy rains, were largely controlled. Work was completed in 63 out of 104 flood-prone areas. The Haliç Shipyard, which had been closed for many years, was brought back to life. It now produces Sea Taxis for the city. İmamoğlu has stated that Istanbul has the most subway constructions happening at the same time. Many metro lines that were incomplete or stopped due to lack of money were restarted. Funds were secured from financial institutions. The Eminönü-Alibeyköy Tram Line, which had stopped due to money problems, was completed and opened.
Cultural Activities
The city purchased a 540-year-old portrait of Mehmed the Conqueror at an auction in London. Two projects were started to support musicians and theaters. This helped them during the pandemic, which had stopped cultural events.
Agriculture Support
To help farmers, the city gave animal feed and seedlings to 474 producers. In 2020, 16,380 tons of crops were grown on farmlands that were previously unused.
Legal Challenges
On December 14, 2022, Ekrem İmamoğlu was sentenced to two years in prison. This was for comments he made about the Turkish Supreme Election Council. Many saw this ruling as an attempt to remove a potential political opponent. The trial received international criticism. Protests were held in Istanbul, and European mayors showed their support.
2023 Presidential Elections
For the 2023 Turkish presidential elections, CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu announced his candidacy. Ekrem İmamoğlu, Mansur Yavaş, and leaders of five other parties were named as vice-president candidates.
On May 7, İmamoğlu was attacked during a rally in Erzurum. Stones were thrown by a group of people. İmamoğlu said at least 9 people from the rally were hurt. Later, it was reported that 17 people were seriously injured. Government officials were criticized for their response to the attack.
After President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan won the presidential election on May 28, 2023, İmamoğlu called for big changes within the CHP. He said that small changes would not be enough. In a letter to a newspaper, İmamoğlu explained that current political party structures "do not meet the needs of Turkey."
2025 Arrest
- Further information: Arrest of Ekrem İmamoğlu and 2025 Turkish protests
On March 19, 2025, İmamoğlu was arrested by Turkish Police. This was due to accusations of wrongdoing. His university degree was also canceled on March 18, 2025. This made him unable to run for president in 2028. An EU group visited him in prison 11 days later.
Following his arrest, İmamoğlu's party, the CHP, called it a "civilian coup." They called for protests across the country. The governor of Istanbul then banned protests in the city for four days. Access to some social media was also restricted. Despite these rules, protesters gathered to support İmamoğlu.
Hundreds of thousands of people have protested, and nearly 1,900 people have been arrested. Opposition leader Özgür Özel criticized the arrests. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan dismissed the protests.
On July 16, İmamoğlu was found guilty of insulting a public prosecutor. He was sentenced to one year and eight months in prison. This was for comments he made in January.
Political Views
İmamoğlu describes himself as a social democrat. He said he became one during his education in Cyprus. He is a member of the Kemalist group Atatürkist Thought Association. He showed hundreds of cars rented by the previous city administration. This was seen as a stand against corruption. İmamoğlu has also spoken against the government's ban of a Kurdish play.
At a Mayors summit in Copenhagen, Denmark, he discussed how to prepare cities for climate change. İmamoğlu received the Kybele German-Turkish Friendship Award in November 2019. Former German President Christian Wulff presented the award. Regarding the Hagia Sophia museum being changed back into a mosque, İmamoğlu stated that "for me it has been a mosque since 1453."
Foreign Policy
Since becoming Mayor of Istanbul, İmamoğlu has tried to improve ties with the European Union. He supports Turkey joining the EU. He sees the EU as a "democratic peace project." He believes it shows that nations can unite despite differences. However, he has also criticized the EU's stance on Turkey. He said the EU ignores changes happening in Turkey.
He has spoken at the Council of Europe about the EU's migration policy. İmamoğlu said that sending migrants to other countries, like Turkey, goes against European values. He asked the EU to "share the burden" and find a lasting solution. This would involve helping to create stability in the migrants' home countries.
During the Gaza war in April 2024, İmamoğlu criticized the "brutal oppression" of Palestinians. He called for an end to violence against innocent Palestinians. He also clearly condemned Hamas, calling the group a "terrorist organization." In an interview, İmamoğlu expressed sadness over the October 7 attacks by Hamas. He stated that any group responsible for organized terrorist attacks should be seen as a terrorist organization.
LGBT Rights
Two days after İmamoğlu first took office, the 27th Istanbul Pride Parade was banned by the Istanbul Governor's Office. When asked about it, İmamoğlu said he would never be a mayor who separates or questions any way of life or belief. In 2020, he was asked about claims that he planned to legalize same-sex marriage. İmamoğlu stated that they must protect the civil rights of LGBT citizens. However, he also said that "society is not ready for legalization of same-sex marriage." During his time as mayor, an official from SPoD, an LGBT organization, was elected to the Istanbul Urban Council. This made them the first openly LGBT person to hold such a position.
Electoral History
Local Elections
| Election | Party | Votes | % | Outcome | Map |
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| 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 |  |
Images for kids
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30 August public holiday celebrations at Yenikapı with Ekrem İmamoğlu
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