Turkey's oldest political party and primary opposition, the Republican People's Party (CHP), is facing its most severe internal and external crisis in years. On May 21st, 2026, the Ankara Regional Court invalidated the party's 2023 ordinary and extraordinary conventions, citing alleged procedural irregularities and vote-buying. The ruling immediately dismissed Özgür Özel and reinstated his predecessor, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu.

The CHP has rejected the decision outright, describing it as a politically motivated judicial intervention aimed at weakening the opposition. Protests erupted outside the party headquarters in Ankara, with Özel vowing to fight the ruling in the High Court, declaring, "We will not leave the party".

The court move comes amid a broader government crackdown on the CHP that intensified after the party's landmark victory in the March 2024 elections. CHP candidates swept major cities including Istanbul and Ankara, dealing President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's AKP (Justice and Development Party) its worst electoral defeat in decades. In response authorities arrested Ekrem İmamoğlu in March of 2025 on alleged corruption and terror-related charges.

Hundreds of CHP politicians and officials were detained throughout 2025. Despite these pressures recent polls show the party is running neck-and-neck with the AKP nationally.

Under Özel's leadership the CHP has pushed for early elections and pursued a strategy of "normalization" with the government while maintaining pressure for democratic reforms. This latest court decision has reignited internal tensions between reformists and those still loyal to Kılıçdaroğlu.

Major protests have continued in the days following the court ruling, with thousands of people marching through Ankara on Saturday, May 30. During the rally, Özel said that Kılıçdaroğlu's leadership was not legitimate and called for an immediate party congress.

Analysts view the developments as part of a concerted effort to neutralize the CHP ahead of the 2028 presidential and parliamentary elections. If the party can unify, mobilize its base, and overcome the legal obstacles, this will likely shape Turkey's political landscape for years to come.