Police surround Turkish opposition party HQ to evict ousted leader

A significant police presence surrounded the central headquarters of Turkey's main opposition party, the social democratic CHP, on Sunday to evict Özgür Özel, who was recently removed from his leadership position by a court order.

Supporters of Özel, who was elected leader in 2023, occupied the party's headquarters throughout the morning, blocking access for the team of Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu. A court had reinstated Kılıçdaroğlu as the party leader as a precautionary measure.

Minor scuffles broke out between supporters of both factions outside the building. Ultimately, Kılıçdaroğlu's team requested security forces to remove Özel's adversaries. Several CHP parliament members, who are immune from arrest, remain inside the building, and tensions remain high with police having entered the premises.

The court ruling that removed Özel cited vote-buying among delegates at the 2023 congress, invalidating its results and subsequent congresses. This led to the dismissal of the party's leadership. Özel, backed by a majority of CHP deputies and several provincial mayors, considers the legal challenge a politically motivated maneuver by the government to weaken the opposition party.

Under Kılıçdaroğlu's leadership from 2010 to 2023, the CHP consistently polled just over 25%. However, in the 2024 municipal elections, with Özel as leader, the party became the most voted, securing 37% and surpassing President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's AKP party. Özel has expressed willingness to cede the leadership if a majority votes for it in a party congress, urging Kılıçdaroğlu to commit to convening one within 40 days. Kılıçdaroğlu, however, has only stated that the congress will be held "at the appropriate time."