What will Özgür Özel and Kılıçdaroğlu do? CHP's 'group meeting' crisis: What do the Constitution, TBMM, and CHP TBMM Group Internal Regulations say?

A significant internal crisis has emerged within Turkey's main opposition party, the Republican People's Party (CHP), following former leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu's announcement that he will hold a party group meeting. This move directly challenges the authority of the current CHP leader, Özgür Özel, who was elected after Kılıçdaroğlu lost the party's congress. The situation has raised questions about the legality and legitimacy of such a meeting under party and parliamentary rules.

Initially, the CHP announced that the group meeting would not take place due to the anniversary of Manisa Metropolitan Mayor Ferdi Zeyrek's death. However, following Kılıçdaroğlu's declaration, the party's plans reportedly changed, making the status of the meeting uncertain. The core of the dispute lies in whether Kılıçdaroğlu, as a former leader, can convene or speak at a party group meeting without the approval of the current group management.

Legal and procedural interpretations are central to the conflict. Experts are examining the Turkish Constitution, the Grand National Assembly's (TBMM) internal regulations, the Political Parties Law, and the CHP's own TBMM Group Internal Regulations. Specifically, Article 167 of the TBMM Internal Regulations suggests that former members, apart from rights to attend general assembly and party group meetings, do not possess the same privileges as current members. This article is being cited to question Kılıçdaroğlu's right to hold or address the group meeting.