Istanbul Mayor’s Diploma Annulled, Raising Questions About 2028 Presidential Bid

Istanbul University has annulled the diploma of Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, citing irregularities in his 1990 transfer to the university’s Management Faculty, a move that threatens his eligibility to run in the 2028 presidential election, Al Jazeera reports.

The university announced on Tuesday that 38 individuals, including Imamoglu, were found to have irregularly transferred to the English-language program. While 10 transfers were annulled, the degrees of the remaining 28 graduates, including Imamoglu, “will be withdrawn and cancelled on the grounds of… obvious error.”

Imamoglu, a prominent figure in the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), condemned the decision as “unlawful” and vowed to challenge it in court. “They [the university] do not have the authority to make such a decision. The authority lies solely with the Board of Directors of the Faculty of Business Administration,” he stated. “The days when those who made this decision will be held accountable before history and justice are near.”

The decision has sparked outrage among opposition leaders. Murat Emir, a CHP lawmaker, described it as “a heavy blow to our democracy,” while Musavat Dervisoglu, chairman of the opposition Good Party, called the annulment “beyond purging a political rival.”

The ruling could significantly impact Imamoglu’s potential challenge to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the 2028 election. The Turkish Constitution requires presidential candidates to hold a higher education degree. The timing is particularly sensitive, as the opposition was expected to consider Imamoglu as a leading presidential candidate in the coming days.

Imamoglu, currently serving his second term as Istanbul’s mayor, has been a vocal critic of Erdogan and faces numerous investigations and legal challenges. In January, he criticized what he called “harassment” after being questioned as part of an investigation into his criticism of the city’s public prosecutor.

In 2022, Imamoglu was sentenced to two years and seven months in jail and banned from political activities for “insulting” members of Turkey’s High Election Council, a sentence he is currently appealing. The annulment of his diploma adds another layer of complexity to his political future and raises concerns about potential political interference.