Ankara Court Annuls CHP Leadership Election Amid Opposition Escalation

Ankara Court Annuls 2023 CHP Leadership Election

On Thursday, an Ankara court annulled the 2023 leadership election of Turkey’s main opposition CHP party. This decision is a significant escalation against the country’s embattled opposition.

The ruling overturned the result of a leadership election that brought in current party head Ozgur Ozel and ordered former chair Kemal Kilicdaroglu to take over as interim leader temporarily. The party immediately called an emergency leadership meeting at its Ankara headquarters, where hundreds of angry demonstrators raised their fists in protest, shouting “Traitor Kemal!”

The news prompted a sharp reaction on Istanbul’s BIST 100, Turkey’s main stock exchange, which tumbled more than six percent.

The case concerns allegations of vote buying at the CHP congress in November 2023. Prosecutors allege that Ozel won by putting pressure on certain delegates with promises of jobs and other kickbacks. The case was opened by the Ankara public prosecutor in February 2025 but thrown out in October on grounds it had no substance.

However, prosecutors appealed the ruling, which was upheld by the court. In a statement on X, CHP said it did not recognize nor accept the unlawful decision by the court, pledging: “The struggle continues.” Ozgur Ozel vowed to continue the struggle with “honour, dignity and courage.”

The CHP has denied all charges, accusing the government of using the judiciary for a “political coup”. Critics say this case is one of many politically motivated attempts to hobble the CHP. Last year, Kilicdaroglu said he would be willing to take on the party leadership if the court overturned the primary result, sparking uproar within the CHP where he remains deeply unpopular.