Istanbul's Political Shake-Up: Opposition Steps In

Istanbul's municipal council elected Nuri Aslan as interim mayor after Ekrem Imamoglu was jailed pending trial on graft charges. The key opposition figure's detention sparked significant anti-government protests, marking the largest in a decade. Aslan will lead Istanbul until Imamoglu's trial concludes.

Istanbul's municipal council elected Nuri Aslan as interim mayor following the controversial jailing of Ekrem Imamoglu, a leading opposition figure, pending trial on corruption charges.

The detention of Imamoglu, seen as a top political adversary to President Tayyip Erdogan, has sparked a massive wave of anti-government demonstrations—the largest Turkey has seen in over a decade.

The decision saw the opposition-dominated council grant Aslan 177 votes, positioning him to temporarily govern Istanbul during the interim, as the legal battle unfolds.

(With inputs from agencies.)