Özgür Özel has been elected president of the Republican People's Party (CHP) after winning the totality of votes, Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Turkey reported on Sunday. 

The leadership election comes at a critical time for the party and Turkish politics, as internal divisions and legal challenges continue to shape the opposition landscape.

Court delays decision on CHP leadership annulment

Roughly a week before the election, a Turkish court postponed its decision regarding the possible annulment of the 2023 general conference of the CHP. The court also delayed ruling on the removal of Özel as party leader until October.

This move has prolonged an internal legal and political dispute that has fueled a broader political crisis within Turkey’s main opposition party.

Since the CHP's sweeping victory in the March 2024 local elections, when the party not only retained Istanbul and Ankara but also captured new municipalities, surpassing the ruling AKP in vote share nationwide, the government has tightened pressure on opposition figures.

Over the past year, more than 500 members and affiliates of the CHP, including prominent mayors, have faced legal proceedings, arrests, or corruption allegations that the party insists are fabricated.

Who is Özgür Özel?

Born in 1974 in Manisa province, Özgür Özel is a Turkish opposition politician and a graduate in pharmacy from Ege University. He entered parliament in 2011 and rose through the ranks of the CHP, eventually becoming head of its parliamentary group.

In November 2023, Özel was elected as the party’s leader, succeeding Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, with the backing of Ekrem İmamoğlu, the mayor of Istanbul. His leadership is widely regarded as a turning point for the Turkish opposition.

Özel’s vision for CHP and Turkish politics

Positioned as a younger and reform-minded figure, Özel aims to modernize the CHP’s political discourse and bring it closer to the public. His leadership emphasizes the need for both political and economic reforms to challenge the long-standing dominance of the Justice and Development Party.

Özel is also noted for his moderate approach to the Syrian refugee issue. He has rejected the idea of forced deportations and instead advocates for the return of refugees to safe areas through negotiation and international cooperation.

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