Republican People's Party or (CHP) leader Ozgur Ozel delivers a speech during a CHP convention, in Ankara, April 6, 2025
A TURKISH court today dismissed a lawsuit seeking to overturn the main opposition Republican People’s Party’s (CHP) 2023 leadership election, ruling there was no legal basis to remove the current leadership.
The case had called for the annulment of the party’s 38th congress, held in November 2023, which saw long-time leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu replaced by Ozgur Ozel.
The plaintiffs alleged electoral fraud, including vote-buying and procedural violations, claims the CHP strongly denied, saying the congress was conducted properly.
Party officials described the case as a politically motivated attempt by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government to weaken the opposition through the courts.
Critics said it was part of a wider crackdown following the CHP’s strong performance in last year’s local elections.
Over the past year, more than 500 opposition figures, activists, artists, journalists and academics have been detained, along with 16 mayors from CHP-run municipalities.
Among them is Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, a leading opposition figure and potential challenger to Mr Erdogan, who remains in pre-trial detention on corruption charges he denies.
Mr Imamoglu is widely seen as a strong potential challenger to Mr Erdogan, and his arrest in March triggered widespread protests.
Today, Mr Imamoglu condemned the espionage investigation against him, calling it “a complete fabrication” and “an insult to reason and justice.”
He said the allegations that municipal employees had gathered or shared state secrets were “meant to distract the public and weaken democratic institutions.”
The investigation reportedly concerns claims that some Istanbul authority employees gathered or shared confidential state information — allegations that Mr Imamoglu firmly denies.
Mr Erdogan’s government maintains that Turkey’s courts are impartial and that investigations into corruption are apolitical.
With the 2028 presidential election approaching, most polls show the CHP running neck and neck with the ruling Justice and Development party.
