2025 Turkish protests

2025 Turkish protests
Part of Third wave of autocratization, democratic backsliding in Turkey and Southeast Europe protests
Protestors in Saraçhane, Istanbul, 21 March 2025
Date	19 March 2025 – present (1 month)
Location	Turkey Northern Cyprus Turkish diaspora, mainly in Western Europe
Caused by	Arrest of Ekrem İmamoğlu and detention of 100 other opposition figures against Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's government Authoritarianism Political corruption Economic corruption Democratic backsliding Kleptocracy Erdoğanism
Goals	Release of Ekrem İmamoğlu Prevention of further persecution of the opposition and interruptions of democratic processes by the Erdoğan government Free elections Resignation of the 67th cabinet of Turkey
Methods	Demonstrations Protest marches Online activism Civil disobedience Civil resistance Boycott Sit-ins
Status	Ongoing Prohibition of all public gatherings and demonstrations in Istanbul for four days, followed by similar restrictions in Ankara and İzmir Closure of major roads and rail networks in central Istanbul Restriction of social media platforms across Turkey, including X, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok Fines and restriction of broadcast against non-government affiliated media by RTÜK Ekrem İmamoğlu was arrested and sent to Marmara Prison on corruption charges on 23 March 2025. CHP announced Ekrem İmamoğlu as their presidential candidate despite his arrest.[1] CHP is allowed to elect Nuri Aslan as acting mayor in the city council
Parties
Turkish opposition Opposition parties CHP Homeland Party[2] ZP[3][4] TİP[2] Good Party[2] BTP[2] LDP[5] TKP[6] HKP[7] DP[2] Key Party[2] EMEP[8] Left Party[9] 1920 TKP[10] DEM Party[11][12] EHP[13] New Path[14] DEVA[2] Felicity Party[14] Parts of Turkish diaspora Civil society organizations TBB[15] TTB[16] Istanbul Bar Association[17] Trade union federations such as DİSK[18] and KESK[19] Students Protest committees[20] Boycott committees[21] High schools[22] Supported by: Party of European Socialists[23] Socialist International[23] Turkish government Ministry of Interior Turkish Police Turkish Gendarmerie Turkish Coast Guard Ministry of Justice Radio and Television Supreme Council[24] Istanbul Governor's Office Government and anti-protest parties Justice and Development Party Nationalist Movement Party[2] Patriotic Party[25] İBDA-C sympathizers[26][27]
Lead figures
Ekrem İmamoğlu (arrested) Özgür Özel Mansur Yavaş Ümit Özdağ (arrested) Muharrem Ince Müsavat Dervişoğlu Erkan Baş Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Cevdet Yılmaz Devlet Bahçeli Ali Yerlikaya[28] Yılmaz Tunç Davut Gül
Number
2,200,000+ in Istanbul (CHP estimate)[29] 34 prosecutors[30] Hundreds of riot police officers outside Istanbul Justice Palace[31] Widespread use of TOMA, tear gas and pepper-spray projectiles
Casualties
Injuries	150 police officers (government claim)[32]
Arrested	71 protesters [33]
Detained	~2,000 protesters[34][needs update]

Protests began throughout Turkey on 19 March 2025 following the detention and arrest of Istanbul mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and more than 100 other opposition members and protesters by Turkish authorities. The gatherings represented significant public opposition to what participants characterized as politically motivated legal actions against İmamoğlu, who was the primary opposition candidate for the 2028 Turkish presidential election^[35] and Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's main political rival.

The demonstrations have been supported by the CHP and many other political parties, organizations, and associations. Hundreds of thousands of people are protesting in almost all of Turkey's cities (especially in Istanbul, Ankara and İzmir), with the biggest crowd being in front of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality's headquarters. University students are playing a major role in these protests.^[36]

The protesters represent a broad ideological spectrum, including both right and left-wing individuals. In this context, symbols of the Republic—particularly Atatürk—are frequently used as a unifying framework and symbolic point of reference throughout the demonstrations.

The protests are occurring in the context of an economic crisis. The Turkish lira's value to the U.S. dollar fell by 16.3% in the three days following İmamoğlu's arrest.^[37]