The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) is facing internal strife. The strife may deal another blow to Türkiye’s oldest party, which is grappling with corruption trials against its municipalities and the risk of dissolution of the current administration amid vote-buying allegations at an intra-party election.
Dissidents of incumbent Chair Özgür Özel reportedly plot to draw more members to their ranks, a report by the Sabah newspaper says. For months, they have been urging the party to get rid of members involved in the corruption, while the Özel administration stood firmly with mayors tainted with the corruption allegations.
The Sabah report says dissidents are making intense efforts to recruit nearly 30 deputies who were close to Özel’s predecessor, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, but fell silent after Özel was elected chair.
The policies determined by Özel and his staff since his 2023 election, without consultation, have long divided the party on almost every topic. The intra-party opposition, which was also subjected to disciplinary action, had a six-hour meeting in Ankara last February, according to the report. The participation of 13 current and 13 former deputies in the meeting caused great discomfort at the party’s headquarters.
Party sources say the policies set by the headquarters are implicitly criticized by more than 40 deputies. It is claimed that many members prefer to remain silent on critical issues or take a stand alongside the headquarters because the party management constantly initiates disciplinary processes and starts online mobbing campaigns against dissenting voices.
According to another party member who attended the first meeting of the dissidents in Ankara, preparations for a second meeting continue. In this context, it is emphasized that intense negotiations are ongoing to increase the number of deputies attending the meeting. It was reported that details such as location and date for the second meeting have not yet been finalized. While more than 40 current deputies are expected to attend the next meeting, it is also claimed that a significant show of force is planned with this move. Some deputies who have sharp differences of opinion with the party management stand out, including Gamze Akkuş Ilgezdi, Mahir Polat, Orhan Sarıbal, Rıfat Nalbantoğlu, Sevda Erdan Kılıç, Hüseyin Yıldız, Hasan Öztürkmen and Deniz Demir.
