Özil rejects Erdoğan opponents' boycott call, urges 'social cohesion'

Former German international Mesut Özil has spoken out against a boycott call by critics of the Turkish government amid the country's worst political crisis in over a decade.

“Let’s not harm our local and national brands under the guise of a boycott. Let’s protect our social cohesion!” the footballer wrote on social media platform X late Tuesday.

The recent arrest and ousting of popular Istanbul mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu has plunged Turkey into turmoil and sparked mass protests. Hundreds of thousands have taken to the streets in support of İmamoğlu, a top rival to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

İmamoğlu’s CHP party has called for more demonstrations starting next week. Protests will take place every Wednesday in Istanbul and every weekend at various locations across the country, a party spokesperson told dpa on Wednesday.

CHP leader Özgür Özel had said over the weekend that the protest action would begin "from now." However, due to a party congress scheduled for Sunday, the start had been postponed, the spokesperson said.

A politician from the main opposition CHP mocked Özil on X, questioning which national team jersey he had worn. Özil responded that he had played for Germany and had never doubted his “loyalty to my country and my nation.”

Özil, the son of Turkish immigrants in Germany, has long been a supporter of Erdoğan, who was the best man at his wedding.

The 36-year-old recently became a member of a key leadership committee at Erdoğan’s ruling AKP party.

The opposition's boycott call targets companies and brands, mostly seen as government-aligned.

The call has drawn sharp criticism from government officials. Prosecutors in Istanbul launched an investigation into the "divisive" call and "those spreading" it.