The leader of the CHP, Özgür Özel, questioned the academic qualifications of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in relation to the ongoing investigation into Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu’s alleged “illegitimate diploma”.
The opposition leader’s comments came at a time of increased tensions in the country. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the Turkish President and leader of the AKP, issued a direct and menacing warning to Özgür Özel after the latter made an explosive statement that Erdoğan does not have a university diploma.
The threat, delivered during the AKP’s Expanded Provincial Chairs Meeting, marks a new peak in political tensions as the ruling party faces growing scrutiny over its legitimacy and crackdown on opposition figures.
Özel: “Erdoğan Has No Diploma”
Speaking to reporters after a visit to the Labor Party (EMEP), Özgür Özel sharply criticized the ongoing investigation into Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu’s alleged “fake diploma,” calling it a politically motivated attempt to discredit one of Turkey’s most prominent opposition figures.
“While the diploma of the person governing this country remains in question, launching such an investigation against Ekrem İmamoğlu is a desperate and hypocritical move. It is clear that Erdoğan does not have a diploma, that he had no classmates from that period, that the only lecturer who allegedly taught him was later nominated as the Muğla Metropolitan Mayor, that there are no fellow students or professors who taught him, and that there are no photos of him in a lecture hall. Let him organize an Iftar dinner with his university friends and share some memories if he can.” Özel stated.
The remarks reignited a long-standing controversy over Erdoğan’s academic credentials. According to Turkey’s constitution, a presidential candidate must hold a university degree, but doubts over Erdoğan’s diploma have persisted for years. Critics argue that no credible documentation or alumni testimonies exist to confirm that Erdoğan graduated from Marmara University, as officially claimed.
Erdoğan’s Threat: “Watch Your Step”
Erdoğan wasted no time in responding. In his speech at the AKP meeting, he turned his attention to Özel and delivered a chilling warning:
“Mr. Özel, I am speaking to you as the Commander-in-Chief. Watch your step. If you don’t, we know how to make you. You have no right or authority to speak against the military’s command structure. Know your place.”
While Erdoğan framed his threat in the context of Özel’s recent criticism of military leadership, the timing left little doubt that it was also a direct retaliation for Özel’s remarks about his diploma. The veiled threat underscored the lengths to which Erdoğan is willing to go to silence opposition voices, particularly those challenging the legitimacy of his presidency.
