Turkish Appeals Court Annuls CHP Congress, Removes Özgür Özel, Reinstates Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu

A Turkish appeals court annulled the CHP’s 38th Ordinary Congress, removing party leader Özgür Özel and the current party administration from office and reinstating former chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu and his team.

“A court in Turkiye has annulled the 2023 leadership election of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) in a sharp escalation against the country’s embattled opposition”

Al Jazeera

The ruling by the Ankara Regional Court of Justice concerned the CHP’s 38th Ordinary Congress held on Thursday, where Özel defeated Kılıçdaroğlu in November 2023 and became party chairman.

Al Jazeera

The court ruled that the congress was legally invalid, a decision that could treat the vote as if it had never taken place, and the Supreme Election Council (YSK) was scheduled to meet at 4 p.m. Friday to review the party’s objection.

In a separate account, TRT Afrika said the 36th Civil Chamber of the Ankara Regional Court of Justice ruled the 4-5 November 2023 congress was invalid due to “absolute nullity,” effectively cancelling the congress retroactively from the date it was held.

European officials and political groups condemned the court decision, with EU foreign affairs spokesperson Anitta Hipper saying Turkey is expected to uphold democratic standards, the rule of law and fundamental rights.

Hipper warned that “Legal and administrative proceedings should not be used to intimidate opposition parties and politicians,” and she linked the congress annulment to an ongoing crackdown that included the arrest of more than 20 mayors, including İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu.

Al-Monitor

The PES Group in the European Committee of the Regions condemned the ruling as “an attack on political pluralism,” and it said Europe “cannot stay silent.”

In a separate framing, Nacho Sánchez Amor, the European Parliament’s rapporteur on Turkey, described the decision as a turning point, saying “With the decision of ‘absolute nullity’ … we enter into a dark era in Turkey.”

The court’s ruling also triggered broader uncertainty inside the CHP, with the Stockholm Center for Freedom reporting that the CHP refused to recognize what it called an “unlawful decision” and filed objections with both the court and election authorities.

The same report said the 36th Civil Chamber rejected a separate request by CHP headquarters to lift the interim measure, while the Supreme Election Council (YSK) was scheduled to meet at 4 p.m. Friday to review the party’s objection.

TRT Afrika said the precautionary measures ordering the temporary removal of Özel and the reinstatement of Kılıçdaroğlu’s administration would be sent to the Supreme Election Council, Ankara Provincial Election Board, Cankaya 4th District Election Board and the Ankara Governor’s Office for implementation.

It added that the decision was adopted unanimously and can be appealed before the Court of Cassation within two weeks, while Al Jazeera reported the CHP rejected the ruling as an “attempted coup” and said the government denied using courts to target political opponents.