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A court in Ankara has rejected the case seeking the annulment of the İstanbul provincial congress of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), held in 2023.
Ankara 3rd Civil Court of First Instance rejected the case on its merits.
The case was filed on allegations of irregularities, including vote buying, and was seen as potentially affecting not only the provincial leadership but also the party’s general leadership.
Last week, an İstanbul court issued a temporary injunction in a separate case, suspending the results of the İstanbul congress. Citing that the allegations had been “approximately substantiated,” the court dismissed the elected provincial board and appointed a new interim administration comprising party members aligned with the faction that lost in the congress.
The CHP views these moves as an attempt by the government to reshape the party leadership through judicial means and accuses the rival faction, widely seen as aligned with former leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, of trying to regain control of the party in cooperation with the government.
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Following today’s ruling, CHP’s lawyer Çağlar Çağlayan appeared on the pro-opposition Sözcü TV, stating that the Ankara court’s decision would also nullify the temporary injunction issued in İstanbul.
The fact that two different courts ruled on the same issue stems from the existence of two separate lawsuits. Speaking to reporters after the decision, CHP parliamentary group deputy chair Ali Mahir Başarır said the Ankara court had merged the two cases and therefore its ruling would also nullify the temporary injunction, echoing the party’s lawyer.
Başarır also criticized the lawsuits, saying, “They filed two cases to make sure they’d get the result they wanted.” The cases have been brought by the faction within the CHP that lost control of the party in the 2023 congress.
After the temporary injunction decision, the appointed interim board entered the provincial headquarters on Sep 8 with a police escort. Party members had set up barricades inside the building.
Since the night of Sep 7, police have surrounded the CHP’s İstanbul headquarters and continue to maintain a heavy presence at the site.
The context
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Turkey’s main opposition party, the CHP, is facing growing legal pressure, including lawsuits targeting its internal congresses and corruption investigations against municipalities under its control.
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On Sep 3, a court issued a temporary injunction, ruling that allegations of irregularities in the CHP’s 2023 İstanbul provincial congress were “approximately proven,” and suspended the elected provincial leadership.
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The court appointed an interim provincial board composed of figures aligned with the party’s former chair.
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The decision may also influence a similar lawsuit concerning the party’s national congress and could potentially lead to the removal of the party’s leadership.
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The CHP leadership views these legal moves as part of an effort by the government to reshape the party through the courts.
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The interim leadership entered the provincial headquarters on Sep 8 with a police escort.
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The CHP, in response, formally moved the address of its provincial building and refuses to implement the decision.
(VK)