This profile mirrors and is kept in sync with the Turkey entry in the main guide's case studies.
Overview
Authorities annulled Istanbul mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu's university degree and arrested him on corruption charges in March 2025, days before the main opposition CHP formally named him its presidential candidate while he was in jail. He remains jailed awaiting verdicts in a separate mass trial of roughly 400 co-defendants over alleged Istanbul municipality corruption, while a Silivri court separately convicted and sentenced him in September 2026 to two years and one month in prison, with a political ban, over remarks for which he had twice previously been acquitted; the ban cannot take effect until the conviction is final on appeal.
Democracy indicators
Liberal Democracy Index, 1990–2025
V-Dem's Liberal Democracy Index for Turkey was 0.35 in 1990, peaked at 0.50 in 2004, and stood at 0.11 in 2025 (scale 0–1). Dashed lines mark events described in the timeline below. Source: V-Dem via Our World in Data, retrieved November 7, 2026. Compare with other countries in the comparison tool.
Show the data
| Country | 1990 | 2015 | 2025 | Regime type, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turkey | 0.35 | 0.23 | 0.11 | Electoral autocracy |
Timeline
Key dated developments, each linked to the reporting that confirms it. Wording is kept neutral; where a government disputes a characterization, its stated position is included. See also the master timeline across all countries.
Voters approved constitutional amendments by about 58%, giving the government a greater say in appointing senior judges and prosecutors and expanding the Constitutional Court. Erdoğan said the reforms broke with a military-dominated past; the main opposition parties said they would put the courts under government control. Source: Voice of America
Police cleared a protest against the redevelopment of Istanbul's Gezi Park, setting off nationwide anti-government demonstrations. Amnesty International documented what it called 'unnecessary and abusive force' against peaceful gatherings. Source: Amnesty International
At a prosecutor's request, an Istanbul court appointed trustees to run the media group that owned Zaman, then Turkey's highest-circulation daily, over alleged links to Fethullah Gülen. Human Rights Watch called it a move to 'eradicate opposition media'. Source: Human Rights Watch
A coup attempt by a military faction failed after some 250 people were killed. The government blamed the Gülen movement, which denied involvement. Under emergency rule, more than 130,000 people were removed from public-sector jobs. Source: NPR
Erdoğan declared a state of emergency allowing rule by decree, saying it was needed 'to remove swiftly all the elements of the terrorist organisation involved in the coup attempt'. It was extended seven times before lapsing in July 2018. Source: Al Jazeera
Voters narrowly approved, with 51.4%, constitutional changes creating an executive presidency. OSCE observers said the vote took place on an 'unlevel playing field'; the government called the assessment 'prejudiced'. Source: Al Jazeera
After winning the June 24 snap election, Erdoğan was sworn in as Turkey's first executive president, with powers to issue decrees, appoint and remove ministers and senior judges, and dissolve parliament. Source: Al-Monitor
The European Court of Human Rights Grand Chamber ruled that the detention of former HDP co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş pursued the ulterior purpose of 'stifling pluralism' and ordered his release. He remained in prison. Source: Human Rights Watch
In only the second infringement ruling in its history, the ECtHR found Turkey had failed to comply with its order to release civil-society figure Osman Kavala, who had been sentenced in April 2022 to life without parole over the Gezi protests. Turkey says he played a leading role in Gezi. Source: Human Rights Watch
Istanbul University annulled the degree of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, a requirement for running for president. His lawyer called the decision null and void; the government denies pressuring institutions. Source: Reuters via The Star
İmamoğlu was detained and then jailed pending trial on financial-crime charges, and was removed from office. Hundreds of thousands protested. The government says the courts are independent; İmamoğlu calls the case a 'smear campaign'. Source: Al Jazeera
The mass trial over alleged corruption at the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality opened with about 400 defendants, with İmamoğlu facing 142 charges. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
Analytical lens
Concepts on this wiki that help explain this case: Autocratic Legalism, Spin Dictators, Competitive Authoritarianism.