A high-stakes legal battle over the leadership of Turkey's main opposition party, the Republican People's Party (CHP), was postponed on Monday, deepening the political uncertainty surrounding the faction. The Ankara 42nd Civil Court of First Instance delayed the hearing until September 8, leaving unresolved a contentious lawsuit that seeks to annul the 2023 party congress where Özgür Özel ousted longtime leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu.
Dramatic accusations from the plaintiffs marked the court session. According to a report by the Turkish news outlet T24, the plaintiffs' lawyer, Onur Yusuf Üregen, branded the current chairman, Özgür Özel, an "illegitimate chairman." In an extraordinary demand, Üregen called for the court to remove the entire current CHP administration and temporarily reinstate former leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu until a final verdict is reached. Üregen, representing former Hatay Mayor Lütfü Savaş—who was expelled from the party—argued that the alleged irregularities at the congress constituted a "national security issue."
Lawyers for the CHP fiercely contested the claims and the court's jurisdiction. Attorney Çağlar Çağlayan argued the lawsuit was a political maneuver designed to let the court, rather than party delegates, decide the CHP's leadership. He asserted that any disputes regarding congress elections fall under the purview of the election board, not civil courts. Çağlayan also highlighted the apparent contradiction of plaintiff Lütfü Savaş accepting a mayoral nomination from the very leadership he now deems illegitimate, an act Çağlayan argued violates the principle of good faith. The defense maintained that allegations of delegates being swayed by "material benefits" were baseless.
The court justified the postponement, stating that it must await a final ruling on jurisdiction in a related criminal case. The judge indicated the civil case would focus on whether delegates' votes were "corrupted due to the provision of benefits," which is the core allegation of the lawsuit filed by Savaş and several party delegates.
Within the CHP, the delay is being interpreted not as a legal necessity but as a calculated political strategy by the ruling government. Senior party officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, believe the postponement is intended to keep the CHP mired in internal conflict, thereby distracting from pressing national issues, such as the struggling economy and regional instability. They argue this prolonged legal limbo serves to weaken the opposition by projecting an image of internal chaos. Other theories suggest the case is being held as leverage for a future political moment, such as a debate on constitutional changes or a snap election.
Despite the legal cloud hanging over the party, CHP leadership has vowed to press forward. Party insiders have dismissed the lawsuit as a "political game" and pledged not to be distracted, vowing to keep their focus on "Turkey's real problems" rather than the courtroom drama.
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