Thousands of supporters gathered in Ankara on Saturday (30 May) in a show of support for ousted opposition leader Özgür Özel, days after a court ruling removed him as head of Türkiye’s main opposition party, the Republican People’s Party (CHP).
The demonstration came after a court annulled the CHP’s 2023 party congress, effectively reinstating former party chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu. The decision has intensified tensions within the opposition and raised questions about the future of the party as it seeks to challenge President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Addressing supporters outside the CHP’s provincial headquarters in Ankara, Özel argued that the dispute extended beyond internal party politics. He described the controversy as a broader struggle between the government and the electorate, telling the crowd that millions of citizens were standing up for both their party and their country.
Supporters responded with chants backing Özel and criticising Kılıçdaroğlu, highlighting the divisions that have emerged within the opposition movement. Following his speech, Özel led a peaceful march through the capital to the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of modern Türkiye and the CHP.
Meanwhile, on the same day, Kılıçdaroğlu visited the party’s headquarters for the first time since the court ruling. He pledged to address corruption allegations involving municipalities governed by the CHP and said a new party congress would be held as soon as possible, although he did not provide a date. Members of the ousted party leadership have rejected the allegations, describing them as politically motivated. The government denies any political interference.
The protest also drew support from Mansur Yavaş, the mayor of Ankara, who has been mentioned as a possible future presidential candidate. Yavaş joined calls for a new party congress and urged members to resolve the leadership dispute through internal democratic processes.
Source: commonspace.eu with The Jerusalem Post
