More than 800 party delegates submitted petitions calling for a special congress to elect a new leader, according to a party source, surpassing the threshold required under CHP bylaws to convene a gathering within 45 days.

The move follows a controversial ruling by an Ankara court in May that annulled the CHP’s 2023 leadership election over allegations of vote-buying and restored Kilicdaroglu to the party leadership.

The decision triggered strong opposition within the CHP and intensified tensions between rival factions of the party. Critics argued that the court ruling interfered with the internal affairs of Turkiye’s largest opposition movement at a time when it has been gaining political momentum.

Ozgur Ozel, who emerged as a prominent critic of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during his tenure as party leader, has repeatedly rejected Kilicdaroglu’s reinstatement and called for a fresh vote, arguing that the party cannot be governed by what he describes as an imposed leadership.

Political analysts expect a fierce internal contest in the coming weeks. While Ozel’s supporters have succeeded in forcing the issue onto the party agenda, observers say Kilicdaroglu is likely to resist efforts to organize a rapid leadership vote and could seek procedural or legal avenues to delay the congress.

The dispute has further deepened divisions within a party already grappling with years of internal debate over strategy, leadership and electoral performance.

The CHP, founded by the republic’s founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, has recently strengthened its position against Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), particularly after securing significant victories in the 2024 local elections.

Opposition figures have accused authorities of pursuing politically motivated actions against the CHP in an effort to weaken its growing electoral appeal. Those accusations intensified following the court decision and subsequent police operations at party headquarters.

Kilicdaroglu led the CHP for more than a decade before being voted out at the party congress in 2023. His departure followed a closely contested presidential election in which he lost to Erdogan, prompting widespread calls within the party for leadership renewal.

The outcome of the proposed extraordinary congress is likely to shape the future direction of the CHP and could influence the broader balance of power in Turkish politics as opposition parties seek to challenge Erdogan’s long-standing dominance.

With rival camps now preparing for a potentially decisive confrontation, the CHP faces one of the most consequential internal battles in its recent history.

The operation followed a decision by an appeals court on Thursday that annulled the results of the CHP’s 2023 party congress and removed party leader Ozgur Ozel from office, citing irregularities in the internal election process.

The court reinstated former CHP chairman Kemal Kilicdaroglu, who led the opposition against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the 2023 presidential election but was defeated at the polls.

A Reuters witness said riot police used tear gas and forced entry into the CHP headquarters as supporters and party officials attempted to resist efforts to implement the court order. Images from the scene showed party supporters gathering outside the building in central Ankara while security forces secured the area.

The confrontation marked the latest development in a growing dispute over the leadership of the CHP, Turkey’s largest opposition party and the principal challenger to Erdogan’s ruling political bloc.

Ozel rejected the court ruling and described it as a “judicial coup,” arguing that the judiciary was interfering in the internal affairs of the opposition. He vowed to challenge the decision through legal channels and pledged to remain at party headquarters while pursuing appeals.

On Saturday, Ozel called for a new party congress to be convened as quickly as possible in an effort to resolve the leadership dispute through another internal vote.

Kilicdaroglu, meanwhile, said a congress would be organized at what he described as an appropriate time, signaling a different approach to managing the transition following the court decision.

Despite the ruling removing him as party chairman, CHP lawmakers on Saturday elected Ozel as leader of the party’s parliamentary group, underscoring continued support for him among many elected party representatives.
The leadership battle comes at a sensitive moment for Turkish politics, with the CHP seeking to maintain unity after years of internal debate over strategy and leadership following Erdogan’s victory in the 2023 presidential contest.
The court decision and subsequent police operation are likely to deepen tensions between the opposition and the government, with CHP officials continuing to argue that judicial institutions are being used to influence political outcomes, an accusation authorities reject.

State-run Anadolu Agency⁠ reported that prosecutors issued arrest warrants for 30 suspects linked to alleged corruption involving municipal subsidiaries and public tenders. Twenty-nine suspects were detained, while one individual was reported to be abroad.

According to a statement cited by prosecutors, the investigation concerns the alleged “activities of a criminal organization established under the leadership of Ekrem Imamoglu.”Authorities accuse the suspects of manipulating public procurement processes through companies affiliated with the Istanbul municipality.

Imamoglu, who has been imprisoned for more than a year, is currently standing trial alongside 413 co-defendants. Prosecutors allege he directed a large criminal network operating within the municipality. If convicted on all charges, he could face cumulative prison sentences totaling 2,430 years under Turkish law.

The Istanbul mayor and his political allies deny the accusations and argue the investigation is politically motivated, accusing Erdogan’s government of attempting to sideline one of the country’s most prominent opposition figures ahead of the 2028 presidential election.

Imamoglu emerged as a major national challenger to Erdogan after securing repeated election victories in Istanbul, Türkiye’s largest city and economic hub. Opposition parties have increasingly described the legal proceedings against him as part of broader pressure on dissenting political voices and municipal administrations controlled by the opposition.

The Turkish government has repeatedly denied accusations of political interference in the judiciary, maintaining that courts operate independently and investigations are conducted according to the law.