Massive Support for İmamoğlu in CHP Presidential Primary Signals Blowback Against Government Moves

Following a series of controversial developments—including the revocation of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu’s diploma and judicial operations targeting Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) personnel—the Republican People’s Party (CHP) held a nationwide primary election to determine its presidential candidate.

The outcome sent a powerful message: Ekrem İmamoğlu received overwhelming support, both from party members and the broader public.

CHP Primary Turnout Reaches 88% Nationwide

According to official results, 1,654,651 out of 1,878,149 registered CHP members voted in the internal primary—an 88.1% participation rate, remarkably high given longstanding organizational challenges, internal divisions, and criticism within the party.

Public Solidarity Surges: Nearly 14 Million Non-Members Vote

In parallel to the party primary, solidarity ballot boxes were set up across the country to allow non-members to express support. A total of 13,844,070 votes were cast for İmamoğlu by members of the public—an extraordinary turnout reflecting a wider backlash against recent political and legal moves against the popular mayor.

Combined Support Hits 15.5 Million

When combined, the total number of votes cast for İmamoğlu across both the CHP primary and public solidarity ballot boxes reached 15,498,721. This figure is strikingly close to the CHP’s total municipal vote count in the March 31, 2024 local elections, which stood at 15,785,662.

The data suggests that a significant portion of CHP’s electoral base mobilized once again in response to what is widely viewed as political interference and a direct challenge to democratic processes.

Edirne, İzmir, Aydın Lead in Public Support

In terms of solidarity votes as a percentage of registered voters, support was highest in:

• Edirne – 44.8%

• İzmir – 41.3%

• Aydın – 40.4%

Meanwhile, CHP member turnout was strongest in:

• Elazığ – 97.9%
  and weakest in:

• Iğdır – 50.2%

Ağırdır: Voters Delivered “Harsh and Decisive” Response

Political analyst Bekir Ağırdır, writing for Oksijen Newspaper, described the turnout as “a harsh and decisive reaction” to recent events. He emphasized that the scale of participation, especially from non-members, had far exceeded expectations, suggesting a groundswell of support for İmamoğlu’s presidential candidacy and a widespread rejection of political repression.

“Voters made it clear that they oppose the arrests and operations, and they did so not just with words, but with action,” Ağırdır noted.