For more than a decade, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu was the face of Türkiye's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), leading the party through multiple national elections and ultimately becoming the joint opposition's presidential candidate against President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in 2023.

Three years later, Kılıçdaroğlu finds himself at the center of one of the deepest crises in the CHP's modern history.

Following a May 21, 2026 ruling by Ankara's 36th Civil Chamber of the Regional Court of Appeals that declared the CHP's 2023 party congress legally invalid under the principle of "absolute nullity", Kılıçdaroğlu returned as CHP chairman for a second time. His return has triggered resignations, internal divisions, disciplinary proceedings and competing claims over the party's legitimacy.

Before entering politics, Kılıçdaroğlu served as director-general of the Social Security Institution of Türkiye (SSK), where he gained public recognition for his criticism of government policies and anti-corruption campaigns.

He joined the CHP in 2002 and was elected as an Istanbul lawmaker the same year. He later represented Izmir in parliament and became the party's parliamentary group deputy chair.

After longtime CHP leader Deniz Baykal resigned in 2010, Kılıçdaroğlu won the party leadership and remained chairman until November 2023. During that period, the CHP lost every parliamentary, presidential and constitutional referendum in which he led the party, including the 2011, June 2015, November 2015, 2018 and 2023 parliamentary elections, the 2014, 2018 and 2023 presidential elections, and the 2010 and 2017 constitutional referendums.

Best chance in 2023

Despite years of electoral defeats, Kılıçdaroğlu emerged as the consensus presidential candidate of the six-party Nation Alliance in March 2023.

His candidacy was backed not only by alliance partners including the Good Party (IYI Party), DEVA Party, Future Party, Felicity Party, and Democrat Party, but also received support from the Labor and Freedom Alliance, whose members urged voters to support Kılıçdaroğlu in the presidential race.

The campaign portrayed the election as Türkiye's most consequential in decades and sought to unite a broad coalition of opposition voters behind a single challenger to Erdoğan.

Leading CHP figures strongly endorsed Kılıçdaroğlu's candidacy.

Former Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu repeatedly expressed support for Kılıçdaroğlu, describing him as the alliance's candidate and encouraging public donations to his presidential campaign. Kılıçdaroğlu's campaign established donation accounts in Turkish lira, U.S. dollars, and euros, while Imamoğlu publicly urged supporters to contribute, saying, "With a small contribution, let's begin a big change."

Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavaş likewise declared that he would not act independently of Kılıçdaroğlu's leadership and emphasized that the Nation Alliance should continue united.

During the campaign, videos and public appearances frequently featured opposition politicians referring to Kılıçdaroğlu as "Mr. President," reflecting confidence within opposition ranks that he could end Erdoğan's more than two decades in power.

That expectation ended on May 28, 2023.

In the presidential runoff, Erdoğan won 52.16% of the vote while Kılıçdaroğlu received 47.84%.

The defeat immediately intensified criticism inside the CHP, with party members questioning both campaign strategy and leadership. The election loss eventually led to Kılıçdaroğlu's defeat at the CHP congress later that year, where Özgür Özel was elected party chairman.

Court ruling reshapes party

The political landscape shifted again in May 2026 when an appeals court ruled that the CHP's 2023 congress was legally invalid under the doctrine of "absolute nullity."

The ruling effectively restored Kılıçdaroğlu as party chairman while legal proceedings over the party's leadership continued.

His return has exposed deep divisions within the CHP.

Supporters argue that the court decision must be respected because it restored the legally recognized party leadership.

Some party officials and members have accused Kılıçdaroğlu of enabling judicial intervention in internal party affairs, with some describing his actions as "betrayal," "anti-democratic" or a "civilian coup”. Those characterizations are political accusations made by his critics, which Kılıçdaroğlu has rejected.

The dispute has fueled resignations, disciplinary actions, and competing factions within Türkiye's largest opposition party, with some politicians leaving the CHP and others reportedly joining the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party).

The CHP's internal crisis extends beyond a leadership dispute.

The contrast between Kılıçdaroğlu's position in 2023 and today illustrates how rapidly political alliances can shift. Three years ago, much of the opposition rallied behind him as the candidate they believed could become Türkiye's next president. Today, many of the same figures and party members openly challenge his legitimacy, while others continue to argue that the court ruling restored the party's lawful leadership.

The leadership dispute has left the CHP divided over its future direction and raised broader questions about opposition unity ahead of Türkiye's next electoral cycle.

Özel's rise from ally to rival

The internal struggle over the CHP leadership also transformed the relationship between Kılıçdaroğlu and his longtime ally, Özgür Özel.

Following the opposition's defeat in the May 2023 presidential and parliamentary elections, Özel joined the "change" movement led by Ekrem Imamoğlu, which argued that the CHP required new leadership after years of electoral setbacks.

Although initially reluctant to declare his candidacy, Özel said he would "not avoid responsibility" if called upon to lead the party. After Imamoğlu announced that he would instead seek another term as Istanbul mayor, Özel entered the leadership race.

At the CHP congress held later that year, Özel defeated Kılıçdaroğlu to become the party's eighth chairman. He was re-elected during an extraordinary party congress on April 6, 2025.

The leadership contest marked a dramatic shift in Özel's relationship with his predecessor.

During the 2023 election campaign, Özel had publicly praised Kılıçdaroğlu, describing him as "someone I respect and take as an example" and calling him "one of the most democratic people" he had known. Campaigning for the opposition candidate, Özel urged voters to elect Kılıçdaroğlu president and defended him against criticism throughout the election period.

The appeals court's "absolute nullity" ruling in May 2026 fundamentally altered the party's internal balance by restoring Kılıçdaroğlu as chairman while Özel continued to enjoy the backing of much of the party organization.

The result was an unprecedented situation in which rival camps claimed political legitimacy.

The dispute extended to parliamentary politics, with both Kılıçdaroğlu and Özel seeking to preside over CHP parliamentary group meetings, highlighting the institutional uncertainty created by the court's decision.

Turkish media also reported speculation that Özel and his allies could eventually establish a new political party, although no such move had been formally announced. Meanwhile, CHP spokesman Müslim Sarı said the party planned to begin its regular congress process in early September.

Relations between the two camps deteriorated rapidly after Kılıçdaroğlu resumed the party leadership.

Supporters of Özel sharply criticized Kılıçdaroğlu's decision to return following the court ruling, while Kılıçdaroğlu's allies argued that implementing the judicial decision was necessary to restore the party's legal leadership.

Several prominent Özel allies publicly directed harsh criticism toward Kılıçdaroğlu. The rhetoric reflected the depth of the split inside the opposition party, with both factions accusing the other of undermining the CHP's future.

From Candidate to Criticized

The Workers' Party of Türkiye (TİP), which had urged voters to support Kılıçdaroğlu during the 2023 presidential runoff and pledged to mobilize all of its resources behind his campaign, later rejected his restored leadership following the court ruling. Party officials described the new leadership arrangement as politically illegitimate and said they would not recognize it.

Former Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu, who had campaigned extensively for Kılıçdaroğlu in 2023 and was widely expected to become a vice president if the opposition won the election, also rejected the court's ruling after it reinstated Kılıçdaroğlu as CHP chairman, calling on supporters to oppose the decision.

The developments underscored the extent to which political alliances inside Türkiye's opposition had shifted since the 2023 presidential election, when Kılıçdaroğlu served as the unified candidate backed by a broad coalition seeking to unseat President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Kılıçdaroğlu’s "renewal" campaign

Addressing party members during the CHP's Eid al-Adha gathering on May 30, 2026, Kılıçdaroğlu framed the crisis as extending beyond a dispute over the party congress.

He repeatedly referred to the need for "renewal," "cleansing," and a "clean congress," saying the CHP would hold those responsible for alleged wrongdoing accountable and organize what he described as a transparent party congress.

Kılıçdaroğlu also drew a distinction between party members whom he said represented the CHP's values and those he accused of damaging the party's reputation through corruption or misconduct.

The dispute escalated further on June 10, 2026, when the CHP executive board, chaired by Kılıçdaroğlu, referred nine lawmakers associated with Özel to the party's High Disciplinary Board with a request for permanent expulsion.

Party spokesman Müslim Sarı said the disciplinary measures formed part of what the leadership described as a broader effort to promote "clean politics."

The executive board later initiated similar disciplinary proceedings against Mezitli Mayor Ahmet Serkan Tuncer and Bolu Mayor Tanju Özcan, bringing the total number of senior party figures facing expulsion requests to 11.

In response, 28 members of the CHP Party Assembly aligned with Özel resigned from the body, further deepening the institutional crisis.

The leadership dispute also coincided with a broader wave of resignations among local politicians.

Several municipal officials left the CHP, while others joined the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party). One of the most closely watched defections came when Haymana Mayor Levent Koç resigned from the CHP and joined the AK Party.

The transfers followed a broader trend that had begun after the 2024 local elections, with several opposition-affiliated mayors and local officials changing party affiliation.

Cultural figures distance themselves

The CHP's internal divisions also reached beyond politics.

Several prominent Turkish musicians, including Selda Bağcan, Zülfü Livaneli, Suavi, Onur Akın, and representatives of the late Edip Akbayram's works, announced that they no longer wanted their songs used at CHP events or in programs featuring Kılıçdaroğlu. They said legal action could follow if their requests were ignored.

Among them was singer-songwriter Onur Akın, who composed a campaign song for Kılıçdaroğlu during the 2014 presidential election. Following the court ruling, Akın publicly criticized the former CHP leader and said he would no longer write songs for individual politicians, adding that he would instead focus on promoting ideas rather than personalities.