Turkish politician and Istanbul mayor under political pressure
An Ankara appeals court has annulled the CHP's November 2023 congress, has suspended leader Özgür Özel and has provisionally reinstated former chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu. The CHP has appealed, Özel has vowed to fight the ruling and remain at party headquarters, and markets have reacted with a sharp sell-off.
The CHP has witnessed a violent confrontation as riot police raid the party headquarters in Ankara after an appeals court nullified Ozgur Ozel’s election as party chair, replacing him with Kemal Kilicdaroglu. Ozel and supporters have resisted inside, marching toward Parliament amid clashes and property damage during Eid al-Adha’s early hours.
A Turkish appeals court has overturned Ozgur Ozel's leadership of the CHP, reinstating Kemal Kilicdaroglu. Ozel is rallying supporters and calling for a party congress; police have evacuated the CHP headquarters in Ankara amid protests. The move is fueling a fresh confrontation between the opposition and President Erdogan's government ahead of elections.
Ozgur Ozel has resigned from the Republican People’s Party with 90 MPs and has registered a new group, the "New Party", with the Interior Ministry. The split has reduced the CHP to about 44 seats in the 600-seat parliament and leaves the New Party with 91 lawmakers, set to become the main opposition against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.