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Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Özgür Özel moved to further consolidate his authority on Friday as Türkiye’s main opposition party convened its fourth party congress in two years, a gathering overshadowed by internal rifts and unresolved allegations of “delegate buying.”
The CHP is required by its bylaws to hold an ordinary congress every two years, but rapid-fire assemblies have become routine since legal challenges emerged following Özel’s own rise to the chairmanship.
The 39th Ordinary Congress, opening at Ankara Arena, follows the last regular congress held in November 2023.
Özel chaired a meeting of the party’s 81 provincial heads on Thursday ahead of the congress, which is expected to see him run unopposed. Still, party insiders say the vote for the party assembly could revive factional tensions, with some members considering individual bids or fielding an alternative “key list” to counter Özel’s slate.
Internal critics have accused party leaders of using repeated congresses to consolidate power amid unresolved claims that delegates were improperly influenced during previous leadership contests, charges the CHP denies but which continue to dominate intra-party debate.
The congress is scheduled to run through Sunday, with voting expected on Saturday to determine not only the leadership roster but also the balance of power within a party already grappling with questions over its direction and cohesion.
Under CHP rules, candidates for party chair must secure written support from at least 5% of the delegates. The election is conducted by secret ballot and requires an absolute majority. If no candidate wins in the first two rounds, a third vote is held in which the top vote-getter is elected. Candidates for the party council, meanwhile, must gather signatures from at least 10 delegates to be eligible.
Although party bylaws define the open ballot method as the default for party council and high disciplinary board elections, delegates may opt for a “block list” system if one-tenth of the full delegate count submits a written proposal before the discussion of the working report begins.
Unlike the last two extraordinary congresses, which were held without spectators due to venue limitations, the 39th Congress will allow audience participation. Accredited members of the press will be permitted to follow the proceedings closely.
Since taking office after the contentious 38th Ordinary Congress, Özel and his senior team have carried out what has been described as a sweeping purge of loyalists of his predecessor, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu. More than 400 party members have been referred to the disciplinary board in the first 10 months of Özel’s leadership. CHP members who raised or supported the allegations tied to the vote-buying case were swiftly expelled.
