Standoff in Turkey's main opposition party escalates

An Ankara appeals court nullified Turkey’s Republican Peoples’ Party (CHP) congress held in November 2023, reinstating Kemal Kilicdaroglu as chairman and suspending Ozgur Ozel, who was elected in his place. The decision, announced Thursday, also provisionally restored Kilicdaroglu’s executive board, reversing a lower court ruling that had upheld Ozel’s election. The court’s ruling came after former Antakya Mayor Lutfu Savas, expelled from the CHP in December 2024, filed a case alleging irregularities during the November congress. The government defended the legal action, citing corruption claims from party members, while the CHP dismissed the decision as politically motivated. Kilicdaroglu, who had stepped down after 13 years as CHP leader, immediately moved to consolidate power, removing three party lawyers involved in the appeal and updating his social media profile to reflect his reinstated role. Ozel’s appeals to the Supreme Election Council and Supreme Court were rejected and accepted, respectively, leaving his legal options uncertain. The ruling deals a significant blow to the CHP, which faces multiple legal challenges targeting its officials, including Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, imprisoned since March 2023 on corruption charges. Justice Minister Akin Gurlek framed the decision as a step to uphold democratic trust, though critics argue the cases are politically driven to weaken opposition ahead of the 2028 election. Kilicdaroglu’s return marks a shift for the CHP, which struggled under his leadership to win national elections but gained ground in 2019 municipal polls, including a victory in Istanbul. Ozel’s brief tenure saw a notable setback for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development Party in the 2024 municipal elections, raising stakes in the ongoing power struggle.