A court in Istanbul ordered the annulment of the current administration of the Istanbul branch of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) on Tuesday. The ruling comes in a lawsuit where plaintiffs claimed the current Istanbul chair of the party, Özgür Çelik, and his staff were involved in fraud to win the Oct. 8, 2023, intraparty congress.
The court also ordered annulment of an ongoing congress process in Istanbul that would be key to elect delegates eligible for voting in the next election of the CHP chair. One hundred ninety-six delegates who had already been elected were suspended from duty by the court’s order.
In his first comments, Çelik claimed they were not aware of any verdict, arguing the court had not served the order to the party yet, if there is any order.
Çelik, a name closer to current CHP Chair Özgür Özel than his predecessor Cemal Canpolat, had secured 342 votes in the October 2023 election. Months after the election, prosecutors in Istanbul launched an investigation into the election upon a complaint by a former member of the party, according to Turkish media, who claimed delegates were offered cash to vote for Çelik. Prosecutors have filed a lawsuit against 10 senior figures of the party over the allegations. Those figures include Beyoğlu Mayor Inan Güney and Beşiktaş Mayor Rıza Akpolat, who were both arrested earlier in separate but linked cases of corruption.
The CHP already faces a major lawsuit that may result in the suspension of Özgür Özel. Last month, the CHP launched its annual congress season ahead of the September hearing over alleged vote buying in the 2023 leadership race in Türkiye’s oldest party.
The district congress delegate elections began on Aug. 13 and they will be followed by district congresses between Sept. 13 and Oct. 5, and provincial congresses from Oct. 11 to Nov. 5. Yet, instead of focusing on the upcoming elections, party insiders say all eyes are on the Sept. 15 hearing in the so-called shady congress case.
The high-stakes trial targets 12 suspects, including Istanbul’s ousted Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu, on charges of rigging the CHP’s 38th Ordinary Congress in November 2023.
Prosecutors accuse Özel of “buying” delegate support to oust longtime leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, with alleged bribes ranging from cash and houses to coveted municipal jobs. If the court annuls the congress, Özel’s leadership could be voided, and a court-appointed trustee would take over the party until a new vote is held.
The Sabah newspaper, citing party sources, wrote last month that the leadership’s decision to push ahead with the congress calendar before the hearing has sparked anger among the opposition wing, who view it as an attempt to cement control ahead of a possible annulment.
“In the past, congress season was exciting and competitive,” said a former CHP official. “Now, there’s no enthusiasm. Everyone is focused on the court case, and many believe the 2023 Congress will be canceled.”
Some within the party fear the trial could even pave the way for the return of Özel’s predecessor, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, deepening divisions at a time when the CHP is already accused of corruption and backroom dealings. Should the court rule against the leadership, it would deal a major blow to the party’s credibility, particularly after last year’s local election gains.
Suppose the Sept. 15 hearing does not produce a damaging ruling. In that case, however, the provincial congresses in October are expected to see fierce power struggles, with tense confrontations between Özel’s camp and their emboldened opposition faction.
