Turkish Court Ousts Main Opposition Leader

A Turkish appeals court on Thursday invalidated the 2023 congress of the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), which elected Ozgur Ozel as its chairman. The ruling effectively removes him from the leadership of Turkey's largest opposition party and reinstates former leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu in his place.

A court of first instance had previously ruled that the dispute over the congress was unfounded, but the appeals court overturned that decision, pointing to alleged irregularities in the election of the party leadership.

Analysts say the ruling could deepen tensions within the opposition and spark infighting at a time when the CHP is running about even with the President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ruling party in polls.

The party also faces continued pressure from the authorities. Since 2024, several CHP officials have been detained in corruption investigations, among them Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, who is considered Erdogan's main rival. The opposition rejects all the accusations, saying they are politically motivated.

Following the court's decision, the CHP leadership held an emergency meeting to discuss next steps.

(reuters, max)