Turkey: CHP Faces Possible Loss of Main Opposition Status as 73 Lawmakers Weigh Defection to New Party
Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) could lose its status as the country's principal opposition bloc if a wave of anticipated defections materializes, according to T24 news site. Political circles cited by T24 suggest that as many as 73 CHP lawmakers may resign to join a new party expected to be established by CHP leader Özgür Özel.
The speculation follows a Turkish court ruling that annulled CHP's 38th Ordinary Congress and reinstated Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu as the party's chairman, a decision that has intensified debate within CHP ranks over whether to remain in the party or break away. T24 reports that Özel and his inner circle favor continuing the fight within CHP until all legal remedies are exhausted, while allies of jailed presidential candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu are pushing for the new party to be launched without delay. The first concrete step toward forming the new party is expected around July 20, T24 says.
According to T24's sourcing, figures close to Özel estimate that between 73 and 87 lawmakers would join him in a new formation, while CHP's General Headquarters camp puts the number lower, between 45 and 67. Losing 73 lawmakers would be enough to strip CHP of its parliamentary standing as the largest opposition party. However, T24 notes that even if the new party secures a majority of defecting lawmakers, it would not qualify for state treasury funding, since it will not have contested an election.
Lawmakers quoted by T24 warned against further delay, arguing that the ongoing legal disputes over CHP's leadership are drowning out substantive political debate. "We should not wait past July," T24 quoted unnamed deputies as saying, adding that public attention has become consumed by questions over the annulment ruling and the fate of the party rather than issues that matter to voters.
Other lawmakers cited by T24 pushed back on the idea of a breakaway party even while opposing the annulment ruling itself, insisting that "CHP is what matters" and warning that forming a new party would ultimately benefit the ruling AKP. Similar breakaway attempts have failed before, these lawmakers argued, according to T24, framing the push for a new party as a populist impulse rather than a sound political strategy, and calling instead for members to stay and fight within CHP.
As of T24's report, no final decision on the new party's formation had been announced, though the coming weeks—particularly after July 20—are expected to be decisive for CHP's political future.