The leader of Turkey's main opposition party, Özgür Özel, has leveled serious accusations against President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, claiming he is orchestrating a "legal coup" to dismantle the country's political opposition and establish a one-party system akin to Russia. The remarks, made in a recent interview, have intensified the already fraught political climate in the nation, sparking concerns about the future of its democracy.
In an interview with the Financial Times, Özel, the chairman of the Republican People's Party (CHP), stated that his party would resist these moves through mass protests and "cunning" legal strategies. He asserted that the CHP is the "last obstacle" preventing Erdoğan from consolidating complete power. Özel's strong words came in response to a controversial court ruling that retroactively invalidated the 2023 appointment of the CHP's Istanbul provincial head, a decision seen by the opposition as a politically motivated attack. "They are trying to take over the party that won the last election... We're facing an authoritarian government and...the only option is to resist," Özel declared, adding, "If the CHP goes, Turkey will go too."
The legal battle has sent jitters through Turkish financial markets, which saw a slump following the court's decision. The ruling is viewed as a potential precedent for a more significant case scheduled for September 15, which could see Özel and other senior CHP officials removed from their positions and replaced by government-approved trustees. The allegations against the CHP involve supposed "irregularities," including cash payments during internal party conventions, which the CHP vehemently denies as baseless and politically motivated.
The government maintains that the judiciary in Turkey is independent. However, the CHP, a party founded over a century ago by the republic's founder, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, insists that the legal challenges are part of a broader campaign to neutralize its growing influence. Recent polls indicate that the CHP has surpassed Erdoğan's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) in popularity. The opposition's success in last year's local elections, where they secured nearly 38 percent of the vote and won control of major cities including Istanbul, has seemingly escalated the pressure from the government.
In response to what he deems a "dirty game," Özel has threatened to challenge the legitimacy of past elections won by Erdoğan, including the 2017 referendum that significantly expanded presidential powers. He also alluded to plans for widespread, peaceful civil disobedience designed to "bring life to a standstill." While declining to provide specific details to avoid tipping off the government, he suggested the possibility of mobilizing "tens of millions" of people. "Erdoğan knows that he can't win elections anymore. That is why he wants [weak] opposition parties, like in Russia," Özel stated, framing the current crisis as an existential fight for Turkey's democratic future.