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Türkiye’s main opposition party plunged deeper into turmoil Tuesday as Republican People’s Party (CHP) Chair Özgür Özel threatened riots in response to a court’s suspension of the party’s Istanbul provincial leadership. This move has further inflamed bitter internal infighting.
Speaking to a pro-opposition television network, Özel reacted sharply to an Istanbul court’s decision to suspend the CHP’s provincial chair and board elected at last year’s congress and appoint former party heavyweight Gürsel Tekin to lead an interim administration.
“It’s free to try canceling the CHP’s congress,” Özel said. “When necessary, we will gather in the streets, determined not to disperse. We will gather in the tens of millions.”
The Istanbul 45th Civil Court of First Instance late Tuesday ruled to suspend the CHP’s Istanbul Provincial Chair Özgür Çelik and his board elected at the 38th Ordinary Istanbul Provincial Congress in October 2023. The court appointed Gürsel Tekin and four others to oversee the provincial leadership.
Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç said the suspension was an interim precaution to prevent irreparable harm during the judicial process and does not constitute a final ruling.
The ruling came after a complaint filed by CHP member Özlem Erkan, alleging irregularities and corruption in delegate elections. Prosecutors investigated claims that votes had been swayed with cash, electronics, job promises and other benefits. Audio recordings purportedly supported those allegations, the Turkish newspaper Sabah reported.
The suspension also applied to delegates chosen at the congress. Tekin and the interim board were authorized to exercise the powers of both the provincial executive and disciplinary committees.
Özel dismissed the court’s decision as “null and void” both legally and politically. He said that CHP’s Central Executive Committee had already affirmed the sitting provincial chair. “Our provincial chair is still in office,” he said.
The CHP has since expelled Tekin from the party by a disciplinary decision, seemingly to delegitimize his eligibility as acting provincial chair. “According to the law, a trustee must be a member of the party. His membership ended the moment the decision was made,” Özel said.
He also promised to discharge “anyone who accepts the trustee appointment, be it Tekin or anyone else.”
“We are watching the other four members,” he said.
Gürsel Tekin, who has been a CHP member for 42 years, reiterated that he remains a part of the CHP, dismissing claims he had submitted his resignation.
“I leave the interpretation of the expulsion decision to the public’s discretion,” he told Turkish broadcaster A Haber on Wednesday. “My goal and my colleagues’ is to ensure unity. It’s clear how disconnected the party is, and we want to achieve this unity.”
“I’ve never been part of this or that group within the party. I’ve always worked for my party,” he said, adding that he was “on duty” and plans were underway for the interim administration.
‘Shady congress’ case
The turmoil comes as the party braces for a key hearing on Sept. 15 in what has been dubbed the “shady congress” case.
The court is expected to review challenges to the validity of the CHP’s November 2023 congress, in which Özel and former Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu are accused of “buying” delegate support to oust longtime leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu with alleged bribes ranging from cash and houses to coveted municipal jobs.
If the court annuls the congress, Özel’s leadership could be voided and a court-appointed trustee would take over Türkiye’s oldest political party until a new vote is held.
The CHP headquarters anticipates the hearing may be postponed again, but the possibility of the congress being declared null and void has rattled party ranks. Such a ruling could invalidate decisions made under Özel’s leadership, potentially unraveling the current congress schedule and forcing elections to restart from scratch.
Kılıçdaroğlu’s comeback
Behind the court cases lies a deepening power struggle between Özel’s camp and supporters of Kılıçdaroğlu.
Party insiders told Sabah that if the congress is voided, Kılıçdaroğlu could reclaim his duties at CHP headquarters “without objection.”
His faction is said to be already preparing lists of members for expulsion, particularly those accused of discrediting him after his electoral defeat. Deputy Chairs Burhanettin Bulut and Gökan Zeybek are rumored to be at the top of such lists.
Tensions have been heightened by neighborhood delegate elections launched in August, which opposition voices within the party say have been marred by disputes, fraud claims and brawls.
Allegations of corruption investigations targeting CHP-run municipalities, including Istanbul, have further inflamed rivalries.
Kılıçdaroğlu’s circle is reportedly planning to adopt a “come back after being exonerated” approach toward members facing corruption charges. Those implicated by confessions or evidence would be swiftly expelled, sources said.
Meanwhile, rumors swirl that at least five lawmakers and several mayors may soon resign from the party, though the headquarters has denied such reports.
For Özel, the coming weeks may prove decisive. He has promised to finalize the party program at a Sept. 4-9 workshop ahead of the CHP’s 39th Ordinary Congress, while simultaneously preparing appeals to the Supreme Election Council and Constitutional Court to contest the Istanbul rulings.
Yet, his fiery pledge to take the battle to the streets underscores the high stakes. CHP-led street riots are not unprecedented; earlier this year, the party launched rallies and incited riots after Imamoğlu’s arrest on corruption allegations.
The Sept. 15 hearing could determine not only the fate of the Istanbul provincial organization but also whether the internal war between the Özel and Kılıçdaroğlu forces will reset the opposition’s course from the ground up.
