Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reportedly called for Israel's destruction during Eid prayers, drawing fierce condemnation from Israel, amid rising regional tensions over Gaza and Syria.

The imprisonment of Istanbul's mayor and the resulting protests have put the focus back on the Turkish President's political evolution. Once considered a reformer, he has more recently mostly monopolized power.

The jailing of Istanbul’s mayor pending his trial on corruption charges has stoked worries that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is becoming more authoritarian in seeking to sideline a top rival.

Thousands rally against the arrest of opposition politician Ekrem Imamoglu, but his party says their planned protests are coming to an end.

Turkey’s president has accused the political opposition of “sinking the economy” during the country’s largest protests in more than a decade.

Opponents say President Recep Tayyip Erdogan manipulates the courts and the media to tighten his grip on power, and now is trying to prevent a top contender from running for president.

Still, the March 19 arrest of Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu—widely seen as Erdogan’s chief rival and the opposition CHP’s likely candidate in the 2028 presidential race—shocked even seasoned observers. The charges, widely viewed as politically motivated, triggered mass protests, arrests, a media crackdown, and a ban on public gatherings.

The arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu has unleashed the largest protests Turkey has seen in a decade. He was officially nominated by the opposition as its presidential candidate for elections in 2028.

The forces opposing Erdogan are assembling, but they must act and confront Turkey decisively, with a clear strategy and the will to follow through, before Turkey’s ambitions become irreversible.