In a dramatic turn for Turkish politics, a court in Istanbul on Tuesday, September 2, 2025, annulled the legality of the Republican People’s Party (CHP)’s Istanbul provincial congress held in October 2023, citing significant irregularities in the election of delegates. The decision, which has sent shockwaves through Turkey’s political establishment, is seen by many as part of an escalating campaign to weaken the country’s main opposition party and reinforce President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s grip on power.
The court’s ruling was unequivocal. It found what it described as “cases of wilful misconduct and actions of a criminal nature on the part of the delegates.” According to the court, “the votes of the delegates who will cast ballots at the congress were influenced in exchange for money, gifts, such as phones and tablets, promises of employment and various other material benefits.” As a result, the court ended the mandate of the CHP’s provincial administrator in Istanbul, dismissing Ozgur Celik and other key provincial officials. In their place, the court appointed Gursel Tekin, a former senior party member and close associate of ex-leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu, to head an interim committee overseeing the Istanbul branch.
The legal challenge that led to this dramatic shake-up specifically targeted the CHP’s Istanbul congress held on October 8, 2023, alleging procedural violations and irregularities. But the timing and context of the ruling have fueled widespread suspicions about its political motivations. The decision comes just weeks before a separate court in Ankara is set to rule on a similar case involving the CHP’s general congress in 2023, which saw Ozgur Ozel elected as party leader. Should the Ankara court rule against the CHP in that case, it could see the reinstatement of former leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu, whose leadership was the subject of both internal party dissent and public criticism.
Reactions from within the CHP were swift and defiant. Addressing reporters outside party headquarters in Istanbul, the ousted provincial chairman Ozgur Celik declared, “The Republican People’s Party … is the people’s home. It will never be subdued.” Celik went on to emphasize the party’s determination to resist what he characterized as an assault on Turkey’s democratic institutions, saying, “With these tactics, they cannot stop our march to power. We will continue our struggle together with the people.” The party convened an extraordinary board meeting on Tuesday evening to evaluate its response and next steps.
Meanwhile, Gursel Tekin, the court-appointed interim administrator, issued a statement signaling his willingness to take up the post. “I will never leave the CHP unattended. I stand ready to undertake any duty necessary to bring my party out of the courthouse corridors and restore it to its former democratic functioning,” he said, hinting at the deep divisions and uncertainty now facing the party’s leadership.
The impact of the court’s decision was not confined to the political arena. Turkey’s main stock index, the BIST100, reacted sharply, dropping by more than 5% in the immediate aftermath before recovering some ground to close 3.57% down at 10,877 points. The financial markets’ jitters underscored the broader sense of instability and unpredictability gripping the country.
This latest legal maneuver is only one part of a much larger campaign that has targeted the CHP’s growing influence across Turkey. Since March 2025, hundreds of CHP mayors, party administrators, and municipal officials have been arrested on charges ranging from terrorism to corruption—allegations the opposition has categorically rejected. The most prominent of these cases involves Ekrem Imamoglu, Istanbul’s mayor and the CHP’s likely presidential candidate for the next national elections. Imamoglu’s arrest earlier this year sparked the largest protests Turkey has seen in more than a decade, with demonstrators flooding the streets to denounce what they see as a dangerous democratic backsliding under President Erdogan’s two-decade rule.
Critics, including international observers and local civil society groups, argue that the legal actions against the CHP are politically motivated and designed to undermine the party’s rising momentum, especially after its resounding success in the 2024 local elections. Since 2019, Istanbul and several other major Turkish cities have shifted to CHP control, and the party expanded its reach further in last year’s municipal contests, winning nearly all important cities and towns across the country.
“This decision is a blatant blow to our democracy,” said Ali Mahir Basarir, a top CHP legislator, in a post on X (formerly Twitter) following Tuesday’s ruling. “We will continue our legal and political struggle against those who attempt to usurp our will through judicial means.” Party leader Ozgur Ozel also announced that the CHP would appeal the court’s decision, vowing not to allow what he described as judicial interference to derail the party’s path forward.
For many in Turkey, the court’s actions are emblematic of a broader struggle over the country’s political future. Supporters of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and President Erdogan maintain that the judiciary is acting independently and that the crackdown on the opposition is a legitimate response to genuine criminal conduct. Erdogan’s government has repeatedly denied any political interference in the courts, insisting that all legal proceedings are above board and in accordance with the law.
Yet, the opposition and its supporters see things very differently. They point to the timing of the court cases, the pattern of arrests, and the targeting of high-profile figures like Imamoglu as evidence of a deliberate campaign to hobble the CHP just as it is gaining traction with voters. The looming September 15 court hearing on alleged irregularities at the CHP’s general congress is seen as another potential flashpoint. A ruling against the current leadership could pave the way for the return of Kilicdaroglu as interim party leader, potentially upending the gains made under Ozel and Imamoglu’s stewardship.
The stakes could hardly be higher. The CHP’s recent electoral successes have raised hopes among opposition supporters that meaningful political change is possible, even in the face of mounting pressure from the government. Whether the party can maintain its unity and momentum in the face of relentless legal and political challenges remains to be seen. As one protester outside CHP headquarters put it, “This is not just about one party—it’s about the future of democracy in Turkey.”
As the country awaits the next court decision, the sense of uncertainty is palpable. What happens in the coming weeks could reshape Turkey’s political landscape for years to come, determining not only the fate of the CHP but also the broader direction of Turkish democracy itself.
