Ekrem İmamoğlu, Istanbul's popular opposition mayor, laid out a carefully calibrated position on Turkey's Kurdish question this week, rejecting both collective rights and ethnic-based legal frameworks while acknowledging the need for equal citizenship.
"We are not saying we will give special rights to our Kurdish citizens. On the contrary, I am fundamentally against this," İmamoğlu told IndyTurk in an interview. "Separating citizens according to their identities and making legal arrangements accordingly will not solve our problems; it will create even bigger problems we can never solve."
The statement reflects İmamoğlu's balancing act as he positions himself as the opposition's strongest presidential contender while navigating Turkey's most politically sensitive issue. His approach attempts to address Kurdish grievances without alienating nationalist voters or triggering government accusations of separatism.
In Turkey, as at the crossroads of continents, identity and strategy require balancing multiple worlds. İmamoğlu's formulation echoes republican principles of equal citizenship while distancing himself from proposals for Kurdish autonomy or language rights that have historically divided Turkish politics.
The timing carries significance. President Erdoğan's government has recently revived contacts with imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan, sparking debate about a potential new "solution process" to Turkey's four-decade Kurdish conflict. İmamoğlu's intervention stakes out opposition territory on an issue where the ruling AKP has historically dominated the narrative.
Yet İmamoğlu's positioning has drawn criticism from multiple directions. Pro-Kurdish opposition parties argue his stance ignores systemic discrimination requiring specific remedies. Nationalist commentators question whether acknowledging a "Kurdish question" legitimizes separatist claims.
Archival statements complicate the mayor's current framing. In a 2019 interview with Cumhuriyet, İmamoğlu stated: "I am not someone who finds the definition of a 'Kurdish issue' correct. I have Kurdish citizens, compatriots, brothers." His evolution from rejecting the term entirely to addressing the issue while opposing collective rights illustrates the narrow political space available for opposition figures on Kurdish politics.
The mayor's approach draws on Istanbul's historically cosmopolitan identity. As mayor of a city where millions of Kurdish-origin citizens live alongside Turks, Arabs, and other communities, İmamoğlu presents Istanbul as a model for national integration based on urban citizenship rather than ethnic categorization.
Domestic political dynamics shape the debate. The opposition CHP alliance requires support from pro-Kurdish voters who abandoned Erdoğan after the collapse of previous peace efforts, while also needing nationalist voters uncomfortable with Kurdish political demands. İmamoğlu's formulation attempts to thread this electoral needle.
Government reactions have been predictably sharp. Ruling coalition politicians accuse İmamoğlu of "legitimizing terrorism" by discussing Kurdish rights at all, while simultaneously criticizing him for insufficient commitment to minority recognition. The dual attacks suggest both sides view the Istanbul mayor as a serious presidential threat.
The Kurdish question remains Turkey's most enduring political challenge. Cycles of conflict and negotiation have marked relations between the Turkish state and Kurdish political movements since the republic's founding. Recent fighting in northern Syria, where Turkey opposes Kurdish-led forces, adds regional complexity to domestic debates.
İmamoğlu's carefully parsed language reflects broader opposition struggles to articulate alternatives to government policy without triggering accusations of disloyalty. His emphasis on "equal citizenship" rather than group rights attempts to claim the republican tradition while acknowledging failures in its implementation.
Whether this formulation can satisfy Kurdish voters seeking substantive change while reassuring Turkish nationalists remains uncertain. The mayor's balancing act illustrates the constraints facing opposition politicians in polarized Turkey, where any discussion of Kurdish issues invites attack from multiple directions.
As presidential elections approach, İmamoğlu's positioning on the Kurdish question will face sustained scrutiny. His ability to maintain this careful balance while articulating a compelling alternative vision may determine whether the opposition can finally unseat Erdoğan's two-decade rule.
