A Turkish court annulled the 2023 leadership election of the Republican People's Party (CHP) and ordered the removal of its leader, Ozgur Ozel [1], [2].
The ruling threatens to destabilize the primary political challenge to President Tayyip Erdogan by removing the head of the country's main opposition party. Critics of the decision said the move is intended to prolong Erdogan's 23-year rule [5].
The Constitutional Court of Turkey in Ankara issued the ruling on Thursday, May 22, 2026 [1], [4]. The court determined that the 2023 CHP party congress, which originally elected Ozel to the leadership position, was illegal [2], [5].
Ozel reacted to the court's decision. "This is a coup," Ozel said [1]. He said the party views the action as an attempt to silence opposition and extend the grip of President Erdogan on power [3].
Other party officials also condemned the ruling. Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, a CHP chairman, said the court's decision undermines democratic norms, and is a direct attack on the will of the Turkish people [4].
Reports on the specific nature of the court's action vary. Some sources said the court directly annulled the congress and ousted Ozel [2], while other reports indicate the court rejected an appeal from the opposition against a previous ruling to remove the leader [3].
This legal action marks a significant escalation in the tension between the Turkish judiciary and the political opposition. The CHP has not yet announced a successor or a formal legal strategy to contest the ouster beyond the rejected appeals [3].
“"This is a coup."”
The removal of Ozgur Ozel creates a leadership vacuum in Turkey's main opposition party at a critical juncture. By delegitimizing the 2023 party congress, the judiciary has effectively reset the leadership of the CHP, potentially fracturing the opposition's unity and weakening its ability to challenge the current administration in future electoral cycles.
