Ankara, 21 May 2026
A Turkish court has ordered the removal of Özgür Özel and the leadership of the Republican People's Party (CHP), the country's main opposition party, on 21 May 2026.
The Ankara court's decision strips Özel of his position as CHP leader, along with other party executives, though the ruling is not yet final.
Özgür Özel had replaced Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu as party leader after Kılıçdaroğlu's defeat to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in the 2023 presidential election.
The court's action follows allegations of bribery in Özel's election as party leader, which the CHP strongly denies.
A former party member initially filed the lawsuit, which was dismissed but later reopened, leading to the current ruling.
Background of the Case
Kılıçdaroğlu, who led the CHP for over a decade, is temporarily taking over the party leadership again following Özel's removal.
The CHP has faced increasing judicial pressure in recent years, with hundreds of members and several mayors arrested.
Internal power struggles within the party have intensified between Özel's camp and supporters of Kılıçdaroğlu.
Özel has been in pretrial detention since March 2025 on separate corruption charges.
Internal Party Struggles
Ekrem İmamoğlu, the former mayor of Istanbul and currently Turkey's most prominent opposition politician, is also in pretrial detention on corruption charges since March 2025.
The CHP maintains that the allegations against Özel are politically motivated.
Turkey's political landscape has become increasingly polarized, with opposition figures facing legal challenges.
The court's decision comes ahead of scheduled local elections, raising concerns about fair political competition.
Political Context
International observers have expressed concerns about judicial independence in Turkey.
The CHP plans to appeal the court's decision, calling it an attack on democratic processes.
Analysts suggest the ruling could further weaken Turkey's opposition ahead of crucial elections.
President Erdoğan's AK Party has not commented on the court's decision regarding the CHP leadership.
International Reaction
The CHP was founded by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and has historically been a secular opposition to Islamist-rooted parties.
This marks the first time a court has removed an entire opposition party leadership in Turkey's modern history.