ANKARA — A Turkish appeals court on Thursday annulled the 2023 leadership congress of the country's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), effectively removing its chairman Özgür Özel and reinstating his predecessor Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu.
The ruling by an appeals court in Ankara came in response to complaints alleging irregularities, including vote-buying, in the party congress that elected Özel as leader.
The decision suspends Özel and members of the party's current executive board from their duties, according to reports from multiple news outlets citing court documents and party statements.
The CHP, which won major victories against President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's ruling AK Party in the 2024 local elections, denounced the ruling as a "judicial coup."
Özel described the decision as government interference and said the party would appeal to Turkey's top court. "This is a coup," he was quoted as saying in statements reported by Reuters and other agencies.
Kılıçdaroğlu, who lost to Erdoğan in the 2023 presidential election, urged calm within the party.
The move is the latest in a series of legal actions affecting opposition figures in Turkey. Details of the specific irregularities cited in the court ruling remained unclear immediately after the decision.
Financial markets reacted sharply to the news. Borsa Istanbul dropped around 6%, while Turkish bonds slid and the central bank intervened to support the lira, according to market reports.
The CHP has called for protests and further legal action against the ruling. Thousands gathered outside the party's headquarters in Ankara following the announcement, local media reported.
Opposition supporters view the court decision as an attempt to weaken challengers to Erdoğan's government. Government officials have not issued immediate public comments on the ruling.
As of Friday, the leadership transition was in effect under the court order, with Kılıçdaroğlu set to resume the role temporarily. The CHP said it would pursue all available legal avenues to challenge the decision.
The full implications for the party's internal structure and upcoming political activities were not immediately clear.
