Turkey has opened a new criminal investigation into the leader of the main opposition party, while a prominent opposition mayor is reported to be preparing to defect to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s ruling AKP, allegedly under duress.

Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç said on the social media platform X that Özgür Özel, head of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), was under investigation for remarks he made about Erdoğan, concerning the defection of Aydın Mayor Özlem Çerçioğlu from CHP to AKP. Çerçioğlu announced her resignation today (August 14) but has yet to announce she is switching parties.

Calling Özel’s comments “an open attack on the will representing 86 million citizens,” Tunç accused him of using language that “goes beyond decency and political courtesy,” adding: “The nation will never give way to those engaged in slander and defamation politics.”

The minister did not specify the exact remarks under investigation, but they were made during a press appearance in Aydın — a CHP stronghold in western Turkey — following Özel’s meeting with Istanbul’s opposition mayor, Ekrem İmamoğlu.

Özel had accused Erdoğan of trying to force CHP mayors to defect to AKP by leveraging corruption investigations against them. Referring to alleged behind-the-scenes pressure on Özlem Çerçioğlu, the long-serving CHP mayor of Aydın, he said:

“Man, you were kicked out of Aydın with a thump and a kick! If saying ‘Either be jailed or join my party’ is how you win a city, what kind of honour is that?”

The comment, implying that the president personally uses judicial pressure to force defections, is likely to form the basis of the “insulting the president” allegation. No comment was given by Özel or his office regarding this particular part of his remarks.

Çerçioğlu, a prominent figure in local politics, is widely reported to be preparing to join the AK Party today (14 August). Moments ago as of the writing of this article, Çerçioğlu announced her resignation from CHP. Several Turkish media outlets — citing party sources — have said........

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