Turkish government officials directed law enforcement to forcibly remove the current leadership of the nation’s primary opposition party from their headquarters on Sunday, following through on a court decision that has triggered a significant political upheaval.
Law enforcement officers in riot gear and large crowds assembled outside the Republican People’s Party (CHP) headquarters in Turkey’s capital after the Ankara governor’s office issued directives to remove party members who support the current leader Ozgur Ozel.
An appeals court in Turkey ruled on Thursday to invalidate the outcome of a party convention where Ozel won leadership in 2023, referencing unspecified procedural violations. The judicial decision restored former CHP Chairman Kemal Kilicdaroglu to power, who had previously been defeated by President Tayyip Erdogan in that year’s presidential race.
On Saturday, Ozel urged that a new party convention should take place immediately, while Kilicdaroglu stated that such a gathering would occur at a suitable moment.
The current CHP leadership supporting Ozel has denounced the judicial decision as a “judicial coup” and Ozel vowed to challenge it through the legal system while remaining “day and night” at the party’s headquarters in Ankara.
Party legislators on Saturday chose Ozel to lead the CHP’s legislative caucus.
