Autocratic Legalism vs. Lawfare

Ekrem İmamoğlu, the Mayor of Istanbul, has been imprisoned for 200 days without indictment as the Turkish government weaponizes the judiciary to eliminate political opposition. This case exemplifies a shift from autocratic legalism to "lawfare," where legal tools are used strategically to suppress democratic competition. İmamoğlu’s situation reveals the deepening authoritarianism in Turkey as the ruling regime abandons fair elections in favor of coercive control.