Newsletters
The court's decision to annul the Republican People’s Party's (CHP) Istanbul provincial congress created further pressure on the main opposition party. Dismissing the Istanbul chair, Ozgur Celik, along with the current provincial administration, was widely seen as a dire warning to the CHP leader Ozgur Ozel.
According to local reports and outlets close to the Republican People’s Party (CHP), the opposition is preparing to file a lawsuit seeking the annulment of Türkiye’s 2017 constitutional referendum in response to the recent appointment of a trustee to its Istanbul provincial branch.
Traditionally, in Türkiye’s electoral system, court challenges were not filed against rulings of the Supreme Election Council (YSK), since its decisions are considered final and beyond judicial review. Yet earlier this week, a civil court suspended a YSK ruling that had already been certified and whose appeal period had expired. CHP now plans to use this precedent as a counter-move, signaling its determination to contest what it sees as judicial overreach.
However, this is not the only scenario facing the CHP. So far, the party has taken minor steps such as expelling Gursel Tekin, but it is also preparing major strategies and counterattack plans.
The political crisis within CHP deepened on Sept. 2 when the Istanbul 45th Civil Court of First Instance dismissed the party’s Istanbul provincial administration and appointed a trustee. Tekin, a veteran CHP figure, was named to head the provincial branch. The decision has shifted attention to Sept. 15, when a key court hearing will determine the fate of the party’s 38th Ordinary Congress.
The latest judiciary decision is widely interpreted as a prelude to the broader case of the party's national congress. Analysts and insiders now see it as increasingly possible that CHP Chair Ozgur Ozel and his executive team may be suspended “as a precaution,” mirroring the fate of the provincial administration.
CHP, in response, has launched a series of legal objections to reverse the court’s ruling. Its first appeal was submitted to the same civil court that issued the decision, demanding the reinstatement of the provincial board. If rejected, the party plans to escalate the case to the Court of Appeals.
In its petition, CHP claimed the court overstepped its authority by acting as an electoral board, amounting to a “seizure of authority.” On these grounds, the party is preparing appeals to the Constitutional Court and the Supreme Election Council (YSK).
The leadership has also tightened internal discipline to maintain unity. Tekin and four other figures who accepted court-appointed trustee roles have been referred to the disciplinary committee with demands for expulsion. Party insiders say this sends a message that cooperating with externally imposed decisions will not be tolerated.
If former leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu attempts to return under judicial order, senior figures indicate he would be denied entry to party headquarters, with expulsion mechanisms considered a last resort. The underlying strategy is to block any chance of a comeback by the faction currently weakened within the party leadership.
With the Sept. 15 hearing approaching, CHP is drafting multiple scenarios for the potential annulment of its 38th Ordinary Congress, where Ozel defeated Kılıçdaroglu. Should a ruling of “absolute nullity” be handed down, Ozel's victory would be voided, Kilicdaroglu reinstated, and party organs rolled back to their pre-congress composition.
To mitigate this risk, CHP has already accelerated preparations for its 39th Ordinary Congress. Local delegate elections are largely complete, with district congresses underway and provincial congresses scheduled in the coming weeks. Party strategists believe moving swiftly could blunt the impact of a possible annulment.
CHP is now mobilizing for extraordinary meetings as a safeguard. More than 400 provincial delegates have already signed notarized petitions to call an extraordinary provincial congress, with the target set at over 500 signatures. On the national level, delegates have begun collecting signatures for an extraordinary congress as well, ensuring that if the annulment is upheld, the party can convene fresh elections without delay.
This fallback plan is seen as critical to prevent any trustee-appointed leadership from consolidating control or delaying internal elections.
Alongside its internal measures, CHP is seeking to widen its political base through coordinated opposition actions. Leadership discussions have included joint campaigns with other opposition parties, including former allies from the National Alliance. The aim is to project a united front in defense of democratic politics and increase pressure on both courts and the ruling party.
Ozel’s recent statements framing the struggle as a broader “front for democratic politics” signal that CHP wants to turn its legal battle into a nationwide political cause.
The gravest concern circulating in party corridors is the prospect of a split. Some members fear that if Kilicdarogluregains control and delays a new congress to reshape the organization in his favor, CHP’s electoral support could collapse. In that scenario, party officials say, the only option would be to establish a new political movement.
Rumors of preparations for a “reserve party” have already surfaced, although no names have been publicly disclosed.
As the Sept. 15 hearing approaches, the CHP faces unprecedented legal and political uncertainty and internal rifts. The looming risk of annulment has plunged Türkiye’s main opposition into one of the deepest crises in its history. The outcome will not only determine the party’s leadership but could also reshape the landscape of Turkish opposition politics.
However, it appears that the CHP leadership may attempt to overcome the process by disregarding court rulings, strengthening unity within the party, working faster than the judiciary's schedule, and forming political alliances.
3 min read
