According to DW's Turkish Service, Turkey's main opposition party, the Republican People's Party (CHP), finds itself at a critical juncture as it confronts mounting judicial pressure. At the same time, its former leader, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, appears poised for a potential return to leadership. The party is currently awaiting a crucial court decision scheduled for June 30 that could potentially nullify the November 2023 party congress results and reinstate Kılıçdaroğlu as party chairman through judicial intervention.
The judicial pressure on CHP has intensified in recent months, with authorities targeting numerous party officials. Since the March 31, 2024, local elections, eleven CHP mayors have been detained, with six currently under arrest. The process began with the detention of Esenyurt Mayor Ahmet Özer and has since expanded to include Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, significantly escalating tensions between the government and the opposition.
At the heart of the controversy lies a legal challenge to CHP's 38th Ordinary Congress and 21st Extraordinary Congress. During a May 26 hearing, court records mentioned "absolute nullity" for the first time, with plaintiffs requesting that the congress results be declared void. This development has fueled speculation about Kılıçdaroğlu's potential judicial reinstatement as party leader.
Breaking his prolonged silence on May 30, Kılıçdaroğlu posted on social media platform X, stating, "Our silence is not muteness, but responsibility," and concluding with the assertion that "We are capable of drowning the enemies of this party within the sanctity of this party." In a subsequent interview with pro-government broadcaster TGRT, he characterized his statement as "a warning and declaration of determination against corruption within the party."
Sources close to Kılıçdaroğlu revealed to DW Turkish that he and his team are indeed preparing for a potential return to party leadership. One insider questioned what would happen if Kılıçdaroğlu refused to accept the position following a court decision: "What happens if Kemal Bey refuses to accept the role? A court decision removed the current leadership, and Kemal Bey refused the position—what then? He would again be declared responsible for the chaos and confusion in a party left without leadership for an extended period."
Meanwhile, the current CHP leadership, under Özgür Özel, continues to organize rallies in support of detained mayors, particularly Istanbul Mayor İmamoğlu. Party officials characterize the judicial processes as politically motivated, with one representative stating, "If we withdrew from the streets and stopped our rallies, returning to the political approach of the previous era, these cases would cease." They believe the legal pressure persists precisely because CHP maintains its public presence and street activism.
Procedural irregularities have complicated the legal proceedings. CHP officials note that civil courts typically lack jurisdiction over such matters, which the Supreme Election Council should typically address. They attribute this deviation to the government's desire to avoid the Council's established precedents, which would likely contradict their preferred outcome.
Should Kılıçdaroğlu return to leadership, the process for a new party congress could be technically extended for up to a year, further complicating CHP's internal dynamics during a critical period in Turkish politics.
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