Ousted Turkish opposition leader's allies resign, forcing party congress

Allies of Ozgur Ozel, the ousted leader of Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), have resigned from the party's assembly, a move designed to trigger an extraordinary congress. The resignations follow a court ruling that nullified Ozel's 2023 leadership election and reinstated former leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu.

According to CHP bylaws, if the number of Party Assembly members falls below 40, the assembly and the Central Executive Board automatically dissolve, mandating an extraordinary congress within 45 days. With 28 members resigning from the 57-member assembly, the threshold is now perilously close to being met.

Ozel's camp is using this strategy to force new party elections through the party's internal democratic process, rather than through court intervention. The CHP leadership has vowed to challenge the court's decision, which has already impacted financial markets, causing Turkish stocks to fall and bond yields to rise.

The internal crisis within the CHP, Turkey's largest opposition party, occurs at a critical time, potentially consuming organizational energy and public attention ahead of future electoral contests and reinforcing President Erdogan's strategy to weaken the opposition.