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Türkiye’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) will convene an extraordinary congress on Sept. 21, a senior party official announced Saturday, framing the move as a response to mounting political pressure.
Gül Çiftçi, the CHP’s deputy chair for election and party legal affairs, said the congress would be held “with the signatures of our delegates, despite the siege against our party.”
In a statement on social media, Çiftçi stressed that the 102-year-old party has “defended the will of the people against all forms of pressure, obstruction, and intervention” throughout its history, and will not compromise on democracy, the rule of law, or freedoms.
“This extraordinary congress will not only determine the future of our party, but will also reaffirm the belief in pluralism and democratic politics in Türkiye,” she said. “The decision, taken with the will of our delegates, is the strongest proof that the CHP stands tall against all attempts of interference by those in power.”
The CHP is plunging into one of the most chaotic periods in its history, with Chair Özgür Özel facing open rebellion, expulsion battles, court-appointed trustees and mounting speculation that the party could fracture entirely.
The sense of internal collapse is amplified after an Istanbul court dismissed the CHP’s Istanbul provincial leadership on Tuesday and appointed CHP member Gürsel Tekin as a trustee, along with four others, citing legal irregularities and corruption in delegate elections.
Özel has blasted the court’s decision and the CHP has expelled Tekin from the party by a disciplinary decision, seemingly to delegitimize his eligibility as acting provincial chair.
Özel also promised to discharge “anyone who accepts the trustee appointment, be it Tekin or anyone else,” and the party is now floating expelling the four other trustees.
What began as Özel’s aggressive moves against dissenting party members has now spiraled into a full-blown crisis that undermines the CHP’s long-touted claims of internal democracy.
Party figures accuse Özel of acting out of fear of losing his seat, resorting to expulsions instead of addressing bribery scandals within CHP-run municipalities, the Turkish newspaper Sabah wrote Friday.
Former CHP MP Barış Yarkadaş, a journalist and long-time party insider, blasted the expulsions, accusing Özel of targeting loyal members while turning a blind eye to confessed wrongdoers.
“There is not a single stain on Gürsel Tekin’s 40-year party history. Instead of expelling him, expel Ertan Yıldız, who has confessed six times. Do you have the courage to do that?” Yarkadaş demanded.
His remarks triggered yet another round of disciplinary complaints.
The crisis recalls earlier episodes in which CHP leaders accepted trustees when it served their political interests.
