ISTANBUL (Medyascope) – Following last month’s court ruling in Ankara concerning the CHP leadership dispute, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke on the matter for the first time on 1 June. Meanwhile, a majority of CHP MPs in parliament have put forward a motion calling for a new leadership election, while Özgür Özel continues to chair the party’s weekly meetings.
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President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan addressed the issue following a cabinet meeting, after an Ankara court ruling on 21 May that led to the annulment of the CHP’s 2023 congress and the removal of Özgür Özel and members of the party’s senior leadership. The decision has triggered significant political turbulence and has been interpreted by opposition figures as an attempt to reshape the leadership of the main opposition party through the courts.
Speaking to reporters, Erdoğan distanced his government from the proceedings, saying the matter constituted an internal legal dispute within the CHP and was therefore outside the government’s remit.
“We were not, are not, and will not be involved at any stage of this political and legal process,” he said.
The case stems from allegations surrounding the CHP’s 2023 party congress, at which delegates elected Özgür Özel as leader. The legal challenge was brought by dissident delegates and party insiders who petitioned Turkish civil courts, alleging procedural irregularities and arguing that the vote was conducted in a manner that undermined the legitimacy of the outcome.
CHP leadership and legal dispute
Özgür Özel took over the party leadership following Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu’s defeat at that congress, ending Kılıçdaroğlu’s 13-year tenure at the helm of the CHP. Kılıçdaroğlu had also run unsuccessfully against Erdoğan in the 2023 presidential election, before stepping aside later that year.
Under Özel’s leadership, the CHP went on to secure a plurality of the vote in the 2024 local elections for the first time since 1977, marking a significant shift in Turkey’s political landscape.
he latest court ruling fuelled accusations that the judiciary is being used to reshape the leadership of Türkiye’s main opposition party, effectively sidelining what many regard as the most credible challenge to President Erdoğan’s quarter-century dominance of Turkish politics. Government officials reject those allegations, maintaining that the judiciary operates independently and free from political influence.
MP’s introduce motion to repeat election
A total of 111 out of 138 CHP MPs issued a joint statement Monday, calling for an extraordinary party congress to be held on 12 July 2026, amid renewed legal and political turmoil over the party’s leadership.
The motion followed a series of meetings reportedly held by CHP leader Özgür Özel with MPs in parliament earlier in the day, and was widely interpreted as a show of internal backing for him as the leadership dispute continues to unfold.In response to allegations surrounding the 2023 congress, Özgür Özel had called another congress in April 2025, arguing that the question of leadership should once again be settled by party delegates rather than the courts. Özel was re-elected by an overwhelming margin, receiving 1,171 of the 1,276 votes cast—significantly strengthening his mandate.
Özel continues to serve as figurehead
Uncertainty over whether the CHP would hold its parliamentary group meeting has been resolved, with the session now formally placed on the Turkish parliament’s agenda and reported yesterday.
The development confirms that Mr Özel will deliver the party’s weekly address in parliament in his capacity as CHP parliamentary group leader, a role distinct from his position as party chairman. In Turkey’s political system, the two posts are separate but are often held in tandem by the chair.
Özgür Özel had earlier convened a closed-door meeting of CHP MPs on 23 May, during which he put himself forward for the post of parliamentary group leader. He was subsequently elected with 95 votes in favour out of 96 cast, with one ballot declared invalid.
The parliamentary group leadership is particularly influential in day-to-day politics, giving its holder control over the party’s legislative coordination in the Grand National Assembly and a prominent platform — a political “bully pulpit” — through the weekly group speeches, which are closely watched nationwide.
Erdoğan denies involvement in opposition chair ousting | Medyascope English Newsroom
