Court rules to oust leadership of Turkey’s main opposition party
The abrupt judicial annulment of Ozgur Ozel’s 2023 election deals a serious blow to the nation’s oldest political faction
An Ankara court on Thursday annulled the 2023 leadership election of Turkey’s main opposition CHP party in a sharp escalation against the country’s embattled opposition.
It is the latest in a string of moves targeting the Republican People’s Party, Turkey’s oldest political faction that won a huge victory over President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling AKP in the 2024 local elections and has been rising in the polls.
The ruling overturned the result of a leadership election that brought in current party head Ozgur Ozel, with the court naming the party’s former chair, Kemal Kilicdaroglu - who lost the election to Ozel - as interim leader.
The CHP immediately called an emergency leadership meeting at its Ankara headquarters, where hundreds of angry demonstrators began gathering outside, the crowd swelling to more than 5,000 people.
“Traitor Kemal!” they yelled, waving flags and chanting angry slogans over a court decision which prompted a sharp reaction on Turkey’s main stock exchange, which tumbled more than 6 per cent.
The case concerns allegations of vote buying at CHP’s November 2023 congress, with prosecutors alleging Ozel won by putting pressure on delegates with promises of jobs and other kickbacks.