Revoking Imamoglu's certificate sparks controversy in Turkey and threatens his presidential candidacy.

The decision of Istanbul Technical University to delete the data of the university degree of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu has sparked controversy in Turkish political circles, as this move was seen as a potential obstacle to his candidacy in the upcoming presidential elections.

This decision was made unexpectedly after the university revoked Imamoglu's degree on March 18th, citing a "clear error."

Although the university has removed all data related to the degree from its records, Imamoglu's lawyer, Mehmet Behlivan, has filed a lawsuit against the decision, stating that revoking the degree constitutes an abuse of administrative powers and violates the principles of the rule of law, as he mentioned in a tweet on the X platform.

It is worth noting that the revoked university degree was a cornerstone in Imamoglu's candidacy for the Turkish presidency in 2028.

Istanbul Technical University had awarded this degree in the field of business administration around 31 years ago, but its revocation raised questions about the legality of the decision and its political implications, especially after Imamoglu's sudden announcement of his intention to run for the presidency.

Imamoglu also faces a series of charges, including forgery, financial and administrative corruption, as well as involvement in government procurement cases.

This political development comes shortly after a judicial ruling in March led to the arrest of Imamoglu and several of his close associates on charges related to administrative corruption, in addition to other accusations of collaborating with the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party.

Earlier, Imamoglu won the Istanbul mayoral election in 2019 after a fierce competition against the ruling party's candidate, strengthening his political position and emerging as a prominent figure in the Turkish opposition.

These events draw attention to Imamoglu's political future, as these legal and administrative actions could significantly impact his political career, especially amidst the ongoing political turmoil in the country.