Özgür Özel was re-elected chairman of Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) on Sunday during an Extraordinary General Assembly held in Ankara, securing 1,171 out of 1,276 votes cast. The decisive victory grants Özel a second term at a time when the CHP faces mounting pressure from the government and internal challenges within the party.
The re-election came amid growing tensions between the CHP and the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), led by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. In a passionate speech ahead of the vote, Özel declared that the opposition was “ready to save Turkey from you,” directly challenging Erdoğan’s leadership.
Özel’s only serious challenger, Antalya Muratpaşa Mayor Ümit Uysal, withdrew his candidacy before the vote. Another contender, former CHP Istanbul Provincial Chairman Berhan Şimşek, failed to secure sufficient backing.
The assembly took place in the shadow of what the opposition has labeled one of the most severe crackdowns on dissent in recent years. A wave of arrests targeting top CHP members, including Istanbul Mayor and former presidential candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu, has sparked nationwide protests and condemnation from opposition leaders.
İmamoğlu’s arrest on March 19 and subsequent imprisonment in the high-security Silivri prison have been described by the CHP as a “judicial coup.” The government, however, maintains that the judiciary acts independently and impartially.
In a further blow to the party, the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has launched an investigation into alleged misconduct during the CHP’s 38th Ordinary Congress held in November 2023, where Özel was initially elected. Authorities are probing claims that delegates were offered bribes in the form of money, mobile phones, and even homes in exchange for votes.
The investigation follows remarks made by President Erdoğan, who accused the CHP of ousting former chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu through a “shady congress.” Kılıçdaroğlu, who led the party from 2010 until 2023, had announced earlier that he would not seek re-election at the extraordinary congress.
Despite the political storm, internal divisions within the CHP persist. Istanbul Deputy Oğuz Kaan Salıcı proposed a “Balance and Solidarity List” to challenge Özel’s candidate list for the Party Assembly, calling for greater unity and transparency within the party.
Özel, who initiated the extraordinary assembly, said it was necessary to “prevent attempts to appoint a trustee to the CHP,” a reference to increasing fears of government intervention in opposition politics.
As the CHP moves forward under Özel’s renewed leadership, the party remains under intense scrutiny both from the government and within its own ranks, navigating a precarious path in an increasingly polarized political climate.
