Türkiye's main opposition party, the Republican People's Party (CHP), is struggling with renewed internal strife ahead of an extraordinary congress on Sunday, as party factions clash over leadership and corruption allegations shake its ranks.
The Sabah newspaper reported on Wednesday that former CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu and his allies are mobilizing support to challenge current party chair Özgür Özel.
The timing of this effort coincides with the recent arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu, a key Özel ally, raising questions among party members and supporters about Kılıçdaroğlu’s motivations. Imamoğlu’s detention on corruption charges, meanwhile, has solidified his standing within the party, adding to the complexity of the power struggle.
Party insiders indicate that Kılıçdaroğlu’s supporters are attempting to gather delegate signatures for a collective declaration urging him to run. However, his backing within the Party Assembly and parliamentary group remains limited. Reports suggest only 30 lawmakers and around 10 Party Assembly members have expressed verbal support, though Kılıçdaroğlu’s camp claims he has a solid base of at least 500 delegates among the 1,300 in total, easily surpassing the 5% threshold required to run.
Despite these efforts, Özel remains in a strong position, bolstered by growing support for Imamoğlu following his arrest. Some party members believe Kılıçdaroğlu's bid faces slim chances of success given Özel’s current grip on the party apparatus. Kılıçdaroğlu’s strategists are continuing to push for more delegate signatures, believing that a majority petition could pressure Özel into accepting his candidacy.
The internal power struggle follows a probe launched last month into allegations that Özel “bought” delegate votes to oust Kılıçdaroğlu in the November 2023 party congress. Investigators are examining claims from CHP delegates who say they were offered bribes, including cash, homes and municipal positions, to switch their votes. Erhan Çakır, a former CHP member, recently alleged that delegates were paid between $5,000 and $30,000, implicating Imamoğlu in orchestrating the scheme to sway at least 150 delegates against Kılıçdaroğlu.
The allegations have further divided the party, with some CHP members expressing concerns over the legitimacy of the previous leadership transition. Kılıçdaroğlu, who had led the CHP for over a decade before losing to Özel in an internal vote, has repeatedly hinted that the 2023 leadership election was unfair and influenced by external factors.
Legal challenges to the upcoming congress have also emerged. On Monday, former CHP Mayor Lütfü Savaş and two congress delegates, Levent Çelik and Hatip Karaaslan, filed a court appeal to annul the decision to convene the congress, citing ongoing investigations into the CHP-run Istanbul municipality. They argue that the current CHP leadership is "unauthorized" and that the congress call violates party statutes and legal principles. The plaintiffs claim that holding a congress under these conditions would not only be unlawful but would further deepen the divisions within the party.
Özel, who announced the congress last week, insists it is necessary to prevent a government-appointed trustee from taking control of the party following Imamoğlu’s detention. He argues that the party must act decisively to maintain its legitimacy and prevent intervention from state authorities. However, Özel's critics, particularly Kılıçdaroğlu loyalists, view the congress as a power play to further solidify Özel’s control over the CHP’s structure.
Kılıçdaroğlu, who lost the 2023 presidential election to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, was unseated as CHP chair in November after Özel's victory in an intraparty vote. Özel later led the party to a historic breakthrough in the March 31 municipal elections, surpassing the CHP’s traditional 25% support threshold. His success in the local elections has given him a strong mandate, but the corruption allegations and party infighting continue to challenge his leadership.
Despite this electoral success, factional disputes continue to divide the party, with Kılıçdaroğlu’s loyalists resisting Özel’s leadership while Imamoğlu’s supporters position themselves for the party's future leadership battle. The CHP’s internal conflict has created uncertainty over its direction ahead of the next general elections, with both sides vying for control over the party’s strategic decisions.
