Bloomberg: Arrests of Istanbul’s City Officials Stall Key Urban Projects, Stir Fears of Power Grab

With Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and over 100 top municipal officials behind bars, Istanbul’s major infrastructure, housing, and earthquake-readiness initiatives have been disrupted — while President Erdoğan’s government pushes forward with controversial mega-projects.

Governance Crisis in Turkey’s Largest City

The political crackdown on Istanbul’s opposition-led municipality has plunged the city into administrative paralysis, just as it faces growing challenges, including earthquake risk, housing shortages, and rapid urbanization. Since March 2025, more than 100 municipal officials — including Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu — have been jailed on charges widely considered to be politically motivated.

İmamoğlu, who was re-elected in 2024 with strong popular support, is now serving a prison sentence stemming from earlier charges. His arrest, followed by those of several deputy mayors and department heads, has left city institutions struggling to function.

“The arrests are strategic,” says Murat Güvenç, a former director of the Istanbul Studies Center. “They target key figures who manage the city’s daily operations. It’s an attempt to immobilize the entire municipality.”

Acting Mayor Struggles to Maintain Services

Istanbul is currently governed by acting mayor Nuri Aslan, a member of İmamoğlu’s CHP (Republican People’s Party). In a recent press conference, Aslan said the administration is working “day and night” to ensure essential services are not disrupted. But insiders say the municipality has already been forced to delay several major projects due to staff shortages and legal uncertainty.

“This is no longer just about politics,” says political analyst Seren Selvin Korkmaz. “The arrests have created a severe administrative burden. Remaining staff are doing double duty under intense pressure, while expecting more detentions at any time.”

Kanal Istanbul: Erdoğan’s “Crazy Project” Moves Ahead

Meanwhile, one of the most hotly contested issues between İmamoğlu and President Erdoğan — the Kanal Istanbul project — is quietly advancing. The $15 billion artificial waterway would cut through western Istanbul, forming a new shipping route parallel to the Bosphorus Strait.

İmamoğlu has long criticized the plan as a “dagger to the city’s heart,” citing its likely impact on forests, farmland, and water resources. But since his arrest, the government has accelerated related development.

In April, Turkey’s Ministry of Environment opened agricultural zones near the canal route to construction. The Istanbul water utility ISKI formally objected, saying a planned 28,000-unit housing project violated water basin protections. Four days later, ISKI’s general manager was detained.

While the government denies any link between the arrests and construction activity, critics argue that Erdoğan is using the political crackdown to eliminate obstacles to the canal and other megaprojects long opposed by CHP officials.

Earthquake Preparedness Plans on Hold

One of the most urgent initiatives affected is Istanbul’s earthquake-readiness campaign. The April 2025 quake — a 6.2 magnitude tremor centered in Silivri — was a stark reminder of the city’s vulnerability. Yet the officials responsible for the “Istanbul is Being Renewed” housing retrofit program are now either jailed or under investigation.

KİPTAŞ, the city’s housing agency, had been helping residents access credit to rebuild structurally unsafe homes. “But with key personnel like KİPTAŞ head Ali Kurt in jail, trust in the program is eroding,” says Oktay Kargül from the Istanbul Planning Agency.

Vision 2050 Planning Team Jailed

Another casualty of the crackdown is Istanbul’s long-term urban vision. The city’s last spatial plan was drafted in 2009. Since then, the population has grown by 3 million. İmamoğlu’s “Vision 2050” initiative aimed to reshape the city sustainably — expanding green spaces, improving public transit, and updating zoning.

That effort is now frozen. Most of the planners behind Vision 2050 are in prison.

“The work hasn’t been abandoned, but it can’t proceed without the people who designed it,” says urban scholar Murat Cemal Yalçıntan.

Central Government Steps In

The Erdoğan government has begun appointing trustees in place of arrested district mayors — effectively bypassing local democracy. In Şişli, a central Istanbul district, newly elected mayor Resul Emrah Şahan had blocked a high-rise commercial project, citing seismic risks. After his arrest, the trustee reversed that decision and allowed construction to resume.

Analysts warn that Erdoğan may be using arrests and trustee appointments as a de facto method of regaining control over Istanbul without officially removing İmamoğlu from office.

New Legislation to Strip Municipal Powers?

Reports suggest Ankara is drafting legislation to give provincial governors more authority over zoning and construction permits — traditionally handled by elected local governments. This would further erode municipal autonomy.

“Our job is to make Istanbul safer, greener, more resilient,” says Kargül. “But if this law passes, we could lose the ability to fulfill our core responsibilities to residents.”

Erdoğan’s Urban Legacy vs. Opposition’s Participatory Model

Under AKP rule from 2004 to 2019, Istanbul became a showcase for massive infrastructure: bridges, tunnels, and one of the world’s largest airports. İmamoğlu’s administration, by contrast, has focused on equity and livability: affordable restaurants, daycare centers, and public parks.

With key projects paused and civil servants in jail, many fear the city’s progressive urban agenda is being dismantled — not at the ballot box, but through the courtroom.

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