Turkey's YSK Rejects CHP Appeal Over 2023 Congress Annulment as Party Takes Fight to Supreme Court
Updated
Updated · Reuters · May 22
Turkey's YSK Rejects CHP Appeal Over 2023 Congress Annulment as Party Takes Fight to Supreme Court
8 articles · Updated · Reuters · May 22
Turkey's Supreme Election Board rejected the CHP's challenge to a court ruling that annulled its 2023 congress and ousted leader Ozgur Ozel, after saying it had no authority to implement court decisions.
The appeals court had reinstated former chairman Kemal Kilicdaroglu over unspecified irregularities in the congress, prompting the CHP to denounce a "judicial coup" and file a new appeal with the Supreme Court of Appeals.
Markets reacted sharply: the lira hit a record low, stocks swung after an initial plunge, and the central bank sold billions of dollars in reserves as JPMorgan warned rates may need to rise quickly.
The ruling deepens pressure on the main opposition, already hit by a broad legal crackdown since 2024 that includes the jailing of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, and could raise the odds of an early election before 2028.
As a court ruling divides Turkey's opposition, is an internal power struggle now the greatest threat to its survival?
Is this judicial intervention the final step in cementing President Erdogan's decades-long rule over Turkey?
Turkey’s Opposition in Turmoil: Court Annuls CHP Leadership, Sparking Political and Economic Crisis
Overview
In May 2026, Turkey’s main opposition party, the CHP, was thrown into crisis when the Ankara Regional Court of Justice upheld a previous court ruling that annulled the party’s 38th Ordinary Congress, where Özgür Özel had been elected chairman. This decision created a power vacuum within the CHP and sparked widespread reactions across the political spectrum. The annulment led to strong condemnation from other parties, internal divisions, and a wave of legal and political turmoil, highlighting deep challenges to party autonomy and raising concerns about the future of democracy in Turkey.