Ankara court postpones verdict on CHP leader’s future

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
Today 14:26

The case over the CHP congress is testing Turkey’s judiciary and could deepen rifts inside the opposition while shaping Erdogan’s political prospects.

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A woman walks past a billboard of then Turkish CHP party leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu in Istanbul, Turkey (AP)

A court in Turkey on Monday postponed its ruling on whether to unseat the country’s main opposition leader and nullify his party’s 2023 congress over alleged procedural violations. The case has already fueled political turbulence nationwide.

The Ankara court moved the hearing to October 24. The stakes are high: if judges decide to overturn the Republican People’s Party (CHP) congress, it would strip party chairman Ozgur Ozel of the leadership post he secured there. Meanwhile, hundreds of CHP members, including Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, a key rival to President Tayyip Erdogan, remain behind bars in a sweeping investigation alleging corruption and ties to terrorism.

CHP rallies tens of thousands in Ankara against 'judicial coup'

Tens of thousands of supporters of Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) on Sunday filled Tandogan Square in Ankara, rallying against what they describe as a judicial attempt to topple their leadership.

Organizers said around 50,000 people turned out, a figure reported by AFP correspondents who described the square as packed with demonstrators carrying Turkish flags and wearing shirts with the image of modern Turkey's founder, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

CHP leader Ozgur Ozel addressed the crowd, declaring that they had gathered to oppose "the (judicial) coup" threatening the party. He warned, "This government does not want democracy. They know they cannot win the elections if there is democracy. They don't want justice: they know if there's justice they won't be able to cover up their crimes."

Calling the allegations against the party baseless, Ozel said, "This case is political, the allegations are slander. This is a coup (and) we will resist." He added, "We are facing the grave consequences of Turkey's government abandoning the ‘democracy train' and choosing to govern through oppression rather than the ballot box. Unfortunately, anyone who poses a democratic threat to the government is now the government's target."

Judiciary targets opposition

The protest came on the eve of a court hearing that could annul the results of the CHP's November 2023 congress, where Ozel replaced longtime leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu. The case, centered on allegations of vote-rigging, is widely seen by critics as an effort to undermine Turkey's oldest political party. Analysts say it follows a broader pattern of judicial interventions and politically motivated prosecutions aimed at weakening opposition forces.

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.

The judiciary's involvement in the party's internal affairs has raised concerns among observers about democratic backsliding and the erosion of judicial independence. Many critics view the court cases as part of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's strategy to curb the opposition's momentum before the 2028 national elections.

Directing his remarks at Erdogan, Ozel asked, "Erdogan, did you ever see Tandogan Square like this?" as the crowd responded with chants of "Erdogan resign!"