If the verdict is upheld, Imamoglu won't be inaugurated even if he wins

The chair of Turkey's Supreme Election Council (YSK) said on Friday that in case Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu runs for president in the coming elections and a recent court verdict sentencing him to nearly three years in prison is upheld by the appeals court in the process, he shall not be inaugurated as president.

YSK chair Muharrem Akkaya told Haberturk's Kubra Par:

"The opposition may run with another candidate in case the court decision is confirmed before the presidential candidates are officially registered. We cannot intervene after the registration has been made. He [Imamoglu] can run in the elections, but he cannot receive the certificate of election."

Akkaya added:

"There are many examples of this. For instance, the election certificate for the mayor of Ceylanpinar was cancelled when he was elected to the post in 2019, because a verdict had been issued against him. We are frequently faced with similar incidents in elections of village administrators."

When asked who would be the winner in such a situation, Akkaya said:

"The candidate who is ranked second in the election receives the election certificate."

Par explains that Akkaya called her after the interview to revise that answer, and said:

"The second ranking candidate wins the election in local elections, but the presidential election is different, because the candidate can win only with the absolute majority of the popular vote. If a court verdict against one one of the candidates is confirmed during the elections and that candidate wins the election, the election certificate will not be given to that candidate and the election will be renewed."