[71245] Political drama in the Republican People's Party (CHP) in Turkey following the court decision

Political upheaval in the CHP: Conventions annulled and a battle for leadership

The political system in Turkey is in an uproar following the decision of the Ankara District Court (Ankara BAM 36. Hukuk Dairesi) to rule that the 38th convention of the Republican People's Party (CHP) is null and void due to "absolute nullity" (Mutlak Butlan). As reported by TRT Haber, the court ordered the removal of the current leadership headed by Özgür Özel and the restoration of authority to the previous leader, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu.

The party filed an urgent appeal to the Supreme Election Council (YSK) against the decision. While certain media outlets affiliated with the government, such as Borsa Haber Hisse, mistakenly reported that the appeal was rejected, it later became clear that the council had not yet convened to discuss the matter. Sondakika Haber Gündem noted that the early reports regarding the rejection of the appeal were incorrect and intended to dictate the narrative.

Within the party, the situation is very tense. According to Haber Gündem, the party officially announced that it refuses to accept the court's decision, and Özgür Özel declared: "I am going nowhere, we will not surrender." Simultaneously, it was reported that the party removed Kılıçdaroğlu from its following list on the social network X, while the party's lawyers were replaced by Kılıçdaroğlu himself, as reported by İhlas Haber Ajansı.

The affair also sparked international reactions. Sondakika Haber Gündem quoted the European Union delegation in Turkey, which expressed deep concern over the decision, noting that it constitutes an infringement on the "principles of the rule of law, democratic pluralism, and the independence of the judiciary."