Part 7/9:
Istanbul University’s revocation of İmamoğlu’s degree—and his subsequent arrest for corruption—occurred against this backdrop of an increasingly authoritarian regime. Despite a formal four-day ban on protests, the Turkish public demonstrated en masse, denouncing the actions taken against İmamoğlu as a coup against democracy. The opposition leader's detention raised concerns among the populace, who viewed it as an attempt to eliminate Erdoğan's most significant political threat.
While Erdoğan's motivations might seem self-preservative, given his age and the potential frailties associated, some analysts propose that he could be seeking to anoint a successor rather than maintaining a grip on power.