Ekrem Imamoglu, from the secularist Republican People’s Party, was elected mayor in a re-run election in June 2019 ISTANBUL: Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu is a political opponent of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, was admitted at 10p.m. (1900 GMT) after displaying symptoms of upper respiratory tract infection. It said he tested positive for coronavirus and his treatment was continuing. Imamoglu, from the secularist Republican People’s Party (CHP), was elected mayor in a re-run election in June 2019 in what was at the time a blow to Erdogan and his ruling AK Party. Since then, there have been sporadic tensions between his municipality and the central government, including disputes over fundraising and measures to combat the coronavirus pandemic in the early stages of the outbreak.