The 36th Civil Chamber of Ankara Regional Court of Justice declared the Republican People's Party (CHP) 38th Ordinary Congress to be absolutely null [1].

The ruling threatens the legal standing of the party's leadership and the decisions made during the event. Because the court invoked the legal concept of "mutlak butlan," the results are considered void from the outset rather than simply voidable.

The congress in question took place on Nov. 4-5, 2023 [1], in Istanbul. The court found that procedural irregularities occurred during the proceedings, which rendered the decisions made by the party void [2]. Reports of the court's decision surfaced on Feb. 20, 2024 [3].

The ruling has sparked a divide among Turkish political figures. Some reports indicate the court issued the decision based on these procedural failures [2]. However, MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli said the rumor of a "mutlak butlan" decision was unfounded [4].

Under Turkish law, a declaration of absolute nullity means the legal act is treated as if it never happened. This creates a potential vacuum in the party's internal governance, a situation that could lead to further legal challenges regarding the legitimacy of current party officials.

The CHP 38th Ordinary Congress [1] was intended to solidify the party's direction and leadership. The annulment by the 36th Civil Chamber [1] now places those outcomes in legal jeopardy.

“The court declared the Republican People's Party (CHP) 38th Ordinary Congress to be "mutlak butlan" (absolutely null).”

The application of 'mutlak butlan' is a severe legal remedy that effectively erases the legal existence of the congress's outcomes. If the ruling holds, the CHP may be forced to re-evaluate its leadership structure or hold a new congress to rectify the procedural gaps, potentially triggering internal instability within Turkey's main opposition party.