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An Ankara court on Friday dismissed a lawsuit seeking the annulment of the main opposition Republican People’s Party’s (CHP) 38th Ordinary Congress, held Nov. 4–5, 2023, and the 21st Extraordinary Congress on April 6, 2025.
The case, which had fueled political tensions in Türkiye for months, concluded with the court’s decision, a move that could ease strains triggered by a yearlong legal crackdown on the opposition party.
The Ankara 42nd Civil Court of First Instance rejected the case on the grounds of “lack of active standing.” The fifth hearing concerning the 38th Ordinary Congress, regarded as a turning point for the CHP, took place in courtroom Z-10 of the Diskapi Courthouse.
Separately, the court also dismissed a graft case centered on alleged vote buying during a CHP primary in 2023, ruling that the case “had no basis.” The judge threw out the case for lack of substance.
The lawsuit focused on alleged vote buying during the CHP’s November 2023 primary and sought to overturn the results, which removed longtime party chairman Kemal Kilicdaroglu and elected Ozgur Ozel as leader. If successful, the case could have unseated Ozel.
The CHP denied the allegations, accusing the government of using the judiciary to stage a “political coup.” To safeguard its leadership, the party held another internal vote during an extraordinary congress on Sept. 21, where it reelected Ozel as chair.
Under Ozel’s leadership, the Party Assembly met Thursday at party headquarters and decided that the 39th Ordinary Congress will be held Nov. 28–30 at the Ankara Arena Sports Hall.
Following the court’s decision, Türkiye’s main stock exchange, Borsa Istanbul (BIST), extended its rally. The benchmark index rose 4% to 11,042 points in late trading Friday.
The BIST, which opened the final trading day of the week on a positive note, gained further momentum after the ruling, buoyed by easing political uncertainty following the lawsuit’s dismissal.
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