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BREAKING: Turkey’s main opposition party leader removed

21 Mayıs 2026 Perşembe

ANKARA (Medyascope) — Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) has been thrown into political turmoil after a court ruling reportedly removed party leader Özgür Özel and reinstated former chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu on an interim basis.

The decision follows a legal challenge to the CHP’s 4–5 November 2023 congress, at which Özel defeated long-serving leader Kılıçdaroğlu in a closely contested leadership vote. The case, brought by former party officials, alleged procedural violations, irregular delegate practices and unlawful conduct affecting the outcome.

The court is reported to have accepted arguments based on the doctrine of “mutlak butlan” (absolute nullity), under which the congress is deemed void from the outset. Under this interpretation, the leadership change that brought Özel to power is considered legally invalid.

As a result, the party structure is said to revert to its pre-2023 status, with Kılıçdaroğlu and the previous party organs reinstated on an interim basis pending further legal or organisational steps.

The 2023 congress marked the end of Kılıçdaroğlu’s 13-year tenure as CHP leader. He was the party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, where he was defeated by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The subsequent leadership change was widely seen as part of a broader effort to restructure the party following its electoral defeat.

The current CHP leadership has denied the allegations, arguing the case is politically motivated and intended to interfere with internal party democracy.

The party has faced sustained political and legal pressure in recent years, including investigations involving CHP-run municipalities following its gains in the 2024 local elections. CHP officials have described the actions as part of a wider political campaign against the opposition.

Separately, a court decision in Istanbul last year led to the temporary appointment of an administrator to the CHP’s provincial organisation amid disputes over its internal congress. Istanbul provincial chair Özgür Çelik........

© Medyascope