After the arrest of Istanbul mayor and presidential candidate Ekrem Imamoglu, protests erupted across Turkey, most intensely in Istanbul. Police intervened violently as tens of thousands demanded the mayor’s release. Imamoglu, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s main rival, remains in prison, deepening concerns about the country’s democratic backsliding.
Call for peace
The jailed founder of the militant Kurdistan Workers’ Party, PKK, Abdullah Ocalan, called on fellow militants to lay down their arms as part of peace talks with the Turkish government. In response, PKK militants held a symbolic weapon-burning ceremony, signalling a willingness to pursue negotiations and end the four-decades-long armed conflict. Talks continue despite major obstacles, including the lack of an amnesty law and low public support within both Turkish and Kurdish communities.
Crackdown on opposition
Turkey’s main opposition party, the Republican People’s Party, CHP, held three congresses in this politically turbulent year, amid legal challenges from government-aligned courts. Authorities alleged irregularities and manipulation in party voting processes, accusations which the CHP denies, claiming they are intended to undermine the party.
Kurdish hopes
Turkey’s national basketball team, known as the “12 Giant Men,” reached the EuroBasket 2025 final, securing their second silver medal in the tournament’s history. The Turkish team lost to Germany in a dramatic and closely contested match. The achievement briefly united a polarized nation in a rare moment of shared national pride.
Jailed journalist