Former soccer star Mesut Özil has criticized Turkish opposition-backed requires a boycott in opposition to “government-aligned” companies, warning in opposition to financial hurt and social division following the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu on corruption prices.
“Let’s not harm our local and national brands under the guise of a boycott. Let’s protect our social cohesion!” Özil wrote on X late Tuesday, urging unity as political debates intensify.
Boycott calls stir controversy
The boycott motion, spearheaded by opposition figures, targets companies perceived as supportive of the federal government.
Critics argue that such actions solely serve to deepen financial instability and hurt nationwide pursuits.
Prosecutors in Istanbul have launched an investigation into the “divisive” initiative and people selling it.
The essential opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) has tried to rally its supporters by means of nationwide protests.
Caught in crossfire
Özil, 36, a longtime supporter of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, confronted criticism from opposition circles for opposing the boycott.
A CHP politician mocked him on X, questioning his nationwide allegiance. Özil fired again: “I played for Germany and have never doubted my loyalty to my country and my nation.”
Having just lately joined a key management committee in Erdoğan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), Özil’s feedback bolstered his alignment with the federal government, drawing backlash from opposition figures.
Divisive opposition rhetoric
AK Party spokesperson Ömer Çelik condemned CHP chief Özgür Özel for what he known as “dangerous and polarizing politics.” In a fiery social media assertion, Çelik accused Özel of shifting from an opposition stance to “a direct threat against Türkiye.”
“He has stripped the CHP of its governance vision and reduced it to a tool for social division,” Çelik mentioned, arguing that Özel’s rhetoric was pushed by “fanaticism, threats and profiling citizens.”
The CHP is rallying its supporters to the streets, vowing to proceed protests as opposition leaders denounce Imamoğlu’s arrest as politically motivated.
The authorities, nonetheless, maintains that the authorized course of is impartial and condemns efforts to govern the scenario for political acquire.
Source: www.dailysabah.com