Turkish Police Evict Ousted Opposition Leaders from Party HQ

Turkish riot police stormed the headquarters of the country's main opposition party on Sunday, using tear gas and rubber bullets to force out its recently ousted leadership. The dramatic intervention in Ankara came after a court ruling on Thursday nullified the 2023 election of Ozgur Ozel as chairperson of the Republican People's Party (CHP), temporarily reinstating former chairman Kemal Kilicdaroglu.

Ozel and his supporters rejected the court's decision as a "judicial coup" and vowed to resist, declaring they would remain at the party's headquarters day and night. Supporters of Kilicdaroglu attempted to seize control of the building on Sunday, leading to clashes before police intervened and took charge. As he was forcibly removed, Ozel declared, "The Republican People's Party will from now be on the streets or in the squares."

The CHP has appealed the ruling to Turkey's Supreme Court, but legal experts anticipate the process could take over a year. The court's decision represents a significant blow to the CHP, which Ozel had led to a notable victory against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's AKP in the 2024 municipal elections. Kilicdaroglu, who led the party for 13 years without winning a national election, has called for a party congress at an "appropriate" time, while Ozel urged for one as soon as possible. The next national election is scheduled for 2028, though early elections remain a possibility.

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The Republican People's Party will from now be on the streets or in the squares.