How Did ‘Urban Reconciliation’ Trigger Imamoglu's Arrest and Istanbul's Political Crisis?

The security operation launched against Istanbul's Mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu, on March 19, 2024, following allegations of corruption and terrorism, was based on several accusations, one of which is urban reconciliation.

Urban reconciliation refers to an agreement through which Imamoglu is accused of facilitating the presence of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in the Istanbul Municipal Council in exchange for support from the pro-Kurdish Democracy and Equality Party (DIEM) in the municipal elections.

This agreement, in broader terms, aims to integrate the Kurds residing in Turkiye's western cities into municipal councils through the Republican People's Party (CHP), the country's largest opposition party. The Turkish authorities view this as a threat to national security.

The Kurdish population is spread across Turkiye, constituting roughly a quarter of the country's total population. 

However, the eastern and southeastern regions hold significant demographic weight for them, in contrast to the western parts of Turkiye, which are not considered a primary Kurdish stronghold.

Urban Strategy

The urban reconciliation strategy was one of ten decisions made during the general assembly of the Peoples' Democracy and Equality Party, following the loss of Turkiye's 2023 presidential and parliamentary elections.

After Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan secured re-election and his Justice and Development Party (AKP), alongside its Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) ally, won a parliamentary majority, the Kurdish party unveiled its strategy. 

In December 2023, during the general assembly, the party announced decisions concerning the local elections (municipalities) set for March 2024, including the urban reconciliation initiative.

At the time, Ilknur Birol, the spokesperson for the party's Election Affairs Committee, told the Haber News that "urban reconciliation is a model for both living and governance simultaneously."

"We will win municipal elections in many provinces, districts, and municipalities that we have not governed before," she added.

Birol went on to explain the concept of urban reconciliation, which would form the basis for their electoral alliance.

"We will save the people from corruption, profiteering networks, and those who deny our identity. To achieve this goal, we will move forward by establishing various collaborations and alliances under the name of our party."

"We will engage with all institutions, organizations, workers, women, youth, religious groups, political parties, and trade and professional organizations in the western regions," she added.

Urban Investigation

The judicial action against urban reconciliation came on October 30, 2024, when Ahmet Ozer, the mayor of the Esenyurt district in Istanbul—one of the key electoral centers for urban reconciliation—was arrested.

He was charged with membership in the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), and another mayor was appointed in his place.

Urban reconciliation was included as one of the primary charges in the indictment prepared against Ozer.

The indictment stated that this strategy aims to "increase the influence of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in major provinces."

Meanwhile, the Istanbul Public Prosecutor’s Office launched an investigation on charges of terrorism, citing urban reconciliation as the primary cause.

As part of the investigation, several individuals were arrested in a February 11, 2025, operation targeting nine municipalities governed by the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) in Istanbul.

The targeted municipalities were as follows, Esenyurt, Kartal, Atasehir, Uskudar, Sancaktepe, Tuzla, Adalar, as well as Sisli Beyoglu.

At the time, ten individuals were arrested, including Atasehir Mayor Levent Gor, and Kartal Deputy Mayor Cemalettin Yuksel.

According to the Turkish public prosecutor, the sentences in this case could range from a minimum of 15 years in prison.

At the time, Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Ozgur Ozel commented on the investigation stated, "The Istanbul prosecutor is conducting a political operation. We don't know what stage we’ve reached, but we know it’s not over yet." 

"We will not accept the outcome they want," he continued.

Imamoglu Arrest

As events unfolded, an arrest warrant was issued for seven individuals, including Ekrem Imamoglu, as part of the terrorism investigation, specifically focusing on urban reconciliation.

Among those arrested were Mahir Polat, Deputy Secretary-General of the Greater Istanbul Municipality, Sisli Mayor Muammer Keskin, and Sisli Deputy Mayor Ebru Ozdemir.

Media outlets, including the BBC, revealed that during his questioning, Ekrem Imamoglu responded to a question about urban reconciliation stating, "They naturally use terms like the Istanbul Alliance and the Turkiye Alliance during election periods."

"The definition put forward by another political party (referring to the DIEM party), and the stance of those who share the same sentiment, is binding on them," Imamoglu added.

"I am aware that the term urban reconciliation is part of the discourse of the Peoples' Democracy and Equality Party (DIEM)."

"The issue of urban reconciliation should not be directed at me, but rather to the officials of the DIEM party, who are currently engaged in intensive diplomacy with the government on Turkiye's current political agenda," he stated.

The questions also pointed out that some of the suspects in the terrorism investigation related to urban reconciliation are members of the Greater Istanbul Municipality and various municipal councils in the provinces. 

Furthermore, there are individuals linked to the "armed terrorist organization" among the families of these people.

Imamoglu criticized the authorities, including the Supreme Election Board, in his response to the question, explaining that after candidates' names are submitted to local election committees ahead of the elections, those who are ineligible to run—such as members of terrorist organizations—should be removed from the lists.

"Either the Supreme Election Board failed to fulfill its duty, or the investigations it conducted were not fair," Imamoglu said.

Imamoglu Allegations

On March 19, 2025, the Turkish local newspaper TR Haber revealed that the investigation launched by the Istanbul Public Prosecutor's Office against Ekrem Imamoglu included the charge of "establishing a criminal organization for profit." 

It was alleged that Imamoglu was diverting resources from the Greater Istanbul Municipality to this organization.

The prosecutor’s office investigated claims that Imamoglu sent $100 million to the leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in Europe, Cemil Bayik, under the guise of urban reconciliation ahead of the local elections on March 31, 2024.

It was reported that Imamoglu intervened to persuade Basak Demirtas, the wife of the former co-chair of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), Selahattin Demirtas, who had announced her candidacy for the DIEM party in the Istanbul elections, to withdraw her decision.

At that time, Imamoglu allegedly transferred $20 million indirectly to the PKK representative in Europe, Ramzi Kartal. 

Following this, Basak Demirtas withdrew her candidacy, after a payment was made using cryptocurrency.

However, the $20 million was not enough to finalize the negotiations for the deal.

Ramzi Kartal allegedly sent a message to Imamoglu, stating that an additional $80 million needed to be transferred to the organization.

According to the indictment, as reported by the Turkish newspaper, Imamoglu was initially furious and reportedly hurled vulgar insults at Kartal.

In the end, however, he transferred the requested funds to the organization in Europe, an act which is seen as electoral bribery.

AKP Criticism

The Justice and Development Party (AKP) strongly criticized this strategy during the election campaign, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attacking urban reconciliation in his speeches throughout this period.

For instance, in a speech delivered on February 23, 2024, he stated, "The fact that the Republican People's Party (CHP) seeks to make a deal with separatists indicates that it no longer shares anything in common with this country and its people."

"They invented what they call urban reconciliation, and it is unclear who is in control," Erdogan said in another speech.

Meanwhile, Murat Kurum, the Justice and Development Party's (AKP) candidate for the Istanbul municipal elections, said during his campaign, "They are trying to form dirty alliances behind closed doors and behind the scenes, unable to talk openly about these alliances [...] and then they call it urban reconciliation."

"What is called urban reconciliation is, in reality, a project aimed at changing the system in Turkiye," Turkish writer Ibrahim Karagul tweeted on X.