Turkey’s Main Opposition CHP Challenges Court’s Ousting of Party Leadership

Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s Party, CHP, has launched legal appeals after a court ruling on Thursday removed its leadership amid growing political pressure from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government.

The CHP is taking its case to the Court of Cassation and the Supreme Election Council after Thursday’s judgment struck a blow to the party’s ability to challenge Erdogan’s rule by intensifying an already bitter struggle between supporters of current leader Ozgur Ozel and former party chair Kemal Kilicdaroglu.

“I will stay in this building [CHP HQ in Ankara] until the members of the CHP decide who will lead the CHP, not the [ruling Justice and Development Party] AKP’s judicial branches; I’m not going anywhere … We will not surrender!” Ozel declared in a post on X on Friday.

The court effectively invalidated the legality of CHP’s 2023 party congress, opening the way for former chair Kilicdaroglu to return in place of Ozel.

Political scientist Ahmet Erdi Ozturk, of London Metropolitan University, said the decision represents a major turning point for Turkey’s political future and reflects the increasing role of the judiciary in electoral issues.

“This is not simply an internal CHP matter anymore. The Turkish judiciary is now playing a direct role in determining the future electoral landscape of the country.” Ozturk told BIRN.

The current leadership, led by Ozel, took over the party in 2023 following Kilicdaroglu’s defeat in general and presidential elections in the same year.

The calls for leadership change were led by Istanbul Mayor and presidential candidate Ekrem Imamoglu – who has been in prison for more than a year on alleged corruption charges, denied by the CHP.

The new CHP leadership under Ozel also won the 2024 local elections, securing almost all important cities and towns in a humiliating defeat for President Erdogan.

Ozturk said Erdogan has systematically weakened opposition groups by fostering fragmentation across the spectrum. “Erdogan has managed to divide almost every political group opposing him. Now the CHP itself has become divided into two camps,” he said.

According to Ozturk, the court decision could have consequences extending far beyond party politics. While Erdogan may still have been capable of winning another presidential election under ordinary circumstances, maintaining a parliamentary majority had become increasingly uncertain, he said.

“Before this ruling, Erdogan could potentially win the presidency but still fail to fully control parliament,” Ozturk noted. “Now that possibility has shifted. A fragmented opposition improves the government’s electoral position significantly.”

The CHP has 138 seats in parliament. Kilicdaroglu reportedly has the support of more than 20 MPs, which could increase when neutral MPs and loyalty switches are counted.

Ozturk warned that the legal and procedural disputes surrounding the CHP congress could drag on for years, paralysing the opposition’s ability to organise ahead of future elections. “Kilicdaroglu can prolong the congress dispute for up to two years if the process continues through legal channels,” he said.

The ruling also casts further uncertainty over the political future of Imamoglu, viewed as one of Erdogan’s strongest potential challengers.

“Imamoglu is likely to remain in prison for the foreseeable future,” Ozturk said. “The key question now is what Ozel and other senior CHP figures will do under these circumstances.”