ISTANBUL — Turkey’s leading opposition party, the Republican People’s Party (CHP), has reaffirmed its leadership by reelecting its chairman, Ozgur Ozel. This decision comes shortly after the detention of Istanbul’s mayor, a significant adversary to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The move is seen as a strategic response to prevent what the party describes as a governmental scheme to assign an interim leader to the CHP.
The arrest of the influential Istanbul Mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu, on allegations of corruption has sparked widespread protests against the government. Imamoglu, who was elected in 2019 and managed to end a 25-year dominance by conservative Islamist parties in Istanbul, rose as a formidable contender against Erdogan’s long-standing presidency.
The opposition argues that the charges against Imamoglu are driven by political motives. However, the government maintains that the judiciary operates independently, without political bias. While Imamoglu is currently incarcerated, he has been confirmed as the CHP’s candidate for the upcoming presidential election, expected to occur before the scheduled 2028 date.
Ozel, addressing the urgency of this situation, called for the extraordinary party congress on March 21, a pivotal move made soon after Imamoglu’s arrest and just before the anticipated government intervention in the party’s leadership.
In his speech, Ozel expressed his defiance, stating, “They lacked the courage to engage with us on merit, so they opted to wield governmental power to intimidate opposition municipalities.” He further accused the ruling party of trying to maintain power by creating societal divisions and instigating conflicts.
Highlighting international support, former Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou, alongside a European Parliament delegation from the Party of European Socialists, visited CHP’s headquarters, extending solidarity towards those advocating for democracy and justice in Turkey. Reports indicate Papandreou’s presence at Sunday’s important congress.
The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), led by Erdogan, experienced a significant defeat in the municipal elections last year. The elections allowed the CHP to consolidate its control over pivotal cities, including Istanbul and Ankara, and achieve substantial inroads elsewhere.
Since those elections, several opposition mayors from the CHP and the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM) have been ousted on terrorism charges, charges the parties firmly reject. This development underscores the continuing tension and political maneuvering within the nation.