Politics
Kılıçdaroğlu seeks to tighten grip as crisis deepens in Türkiye’s CHP
Türkiye’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) is entering a new phase of internal struggle as reinstated Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu moves to consolidate authority following a court ruling that annulled the party’s 2023 congress, while tensions rise over possible disciplinary measures against rivals Özgür Özel and jailed Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu.
Attention has shifted to Kılıçdaroğlu’s expected address at CHP headquarters, where he is set to return publicly for the first time since the court decision restored his leadership and overturned the congress that had brought Özel to power.
The ruling, issued under the legal doctrine of “absolute nullity,” invalidated the November 2023 congress and reinstated CHP’s pre-congress administration on an interim basis until a new congress can be organized.
The decision triggered a fierce power struggle between competing factions and culminated days later in clashes outside party headquarters after riot police removed Özel’s administration from the building.
Authorities later opened an investigation into the unrest.
While both Kılıçdaroğlu and Özel say a congress is ultimately unavoidable, disagreement over timing and legitimacy has widened the divide.
“We will hold a congress, friends. Can there be a party without a congress?” Kılıçdaroğlu said this week.
“Of course, for this to happen, the congress must be held on legal grounds.”
His remarks underscored the legal argument increasingly advanced by his supporters: that party structures remain in transition and that any leadership contest must wait until court procedures and injunction questions are resolved.
That position has strengthened Kılıçdaroğlu’s institutional standing inside the party.
The Party Council meeting expected in early June has been postponed, with CHP headquarters citing delays in formal notification procedures concerning council appointments. Kılıçdaroğlu also informed lawmakers that the parliamentary group meeting would not be convened until further notice.
The moves effectively place key party organs on hold while legal and organizational questions are reviewed.
The authority dispute now extends beyond the chairmanship itself.
Özel, who was elected parliamentary group chair by CHP lawmakers after the court ruling, maintains that his political legitimacy remains intact and continues to call for a rapid congress or a broader leadership vote involving party members.
“There is a completely unlawful decision here,” Özel said during a visit to İzmir, arguing that restrictions linked to the ruling should not prevent him from exercising political authority.
He has also rejected suggestions of a split.
“No one should leave the party, no one should resign,” Özel told supporters.
Yet Kılıçdaroğlu’s camp increasingly appears focused on institutional consolidation before any vote takes place.
Party figures aligned with Kılıçdaroğlu argue that the CHP cannot organize a credible congress under the existing delegate structure, citing court findings and ongoing investigations tied to alleged irregularities during the 2023 leadership contest.
Former CHP figure Gürsel Tekin has argued that a renewed congress process beginning with local delegate elections could take several months to complete.
Others close to Kılıçdaroğlu have spoken of the need for what they describe as a “purification” period before a new contest is held.
The debate has also revived questions over disciplinary authority.
Figures within the Kılıçdaroğlu camp have increasingly voiced calls for disciplinary scrutiny targeting individuals they hold responsible for the confrontation surrounding party headquarters and the wider crisis.
Among the names frequently mentioned are Özel and Imamoğlu, whose political alliance helped shape the 2023 leadership transition.
No formal expulsion proceedings have been announced.
However, party sources say the High Disciplinary Board, restored alongside the pre-congress administration, could become a decisive institution should disciplinary referrals emerge.
The dispute reflects deeper questions about who currently exercises legitimate authority inside the CHP.
Under party bylaws, the chair holds broad powers to represent and manage the organization, convene party bodies and oversee coordination between headquarters and the parliamentary group.
The Party Council, meanwhile, functions as the highest decision-making organ after the congress, shaping strategy, approving candidate lists and possessing the authority to call an extraordinary congress.
The Central Executive Board serves as the party’s executive arm, while disciplinary mechanisms remain separate from day-to-day administration.
That institutional architecture has turned legal interpretation into a political battleground.
Supporters of Özel insist the crisis should be resolved quickly through a fresh vote reflecting delegate or member will. Kılıçdaroğlu allies counter that rushing to a congress before legal questions are settled risks deepening instability and reproducing the same disputes that led to the court intervention.
The rivalry has increasingly spilled into internal party communications and public messaging.
Reports of heated exchanges among CHP lawmakers and separate factional coordination channels have highlighted the deteriorating atmosphere inside the party, while accusations of political pressure and influence campaigns continue to circulate between rival camps.
Both sides deny wrongdoing.
For now, the central question confronting Türkiye’s main opposition party is no longer whether a congress will take place, but under whose authority and according to which timetable.
As Kılıçdaroğlu prepares to reappear at headquarters, his camp appears to hold the stronger institutional position. Yet Özel retains support among segments of the parliamentary group and party base, setting the stage for a prolonged struggle over the CHP’s future leadership and political direction.
Türkiye on Friday called on all parties to avoid actions that could further inflame tensions in the Black Sea after a drone strike hit a Turkish-owned cargo vessel off Ukraine’s southern coast, injuring two crew members and sparking a fire on board.
The Foreign Ministry said in a statement it had conveyed Ankara’s concerns to “all relevant parties” following the incident and reiterated its warning against steps that could lead to an uncontrolled escalation of the war in the region.
It said the situation was being closely monitored and confirmed that the injured crew members were Turkish nationals.
“We are closely monitoring the conditions of the two Turkish nationals,” the ministry said, adding that Türkiye was coordinating with relevant authorities over the safety of maritime traffic in the Black Sea.
Ukraine’s navy said earlier on Friday that Russian drones struck the vessel late Thursday while it was sailing from the Odesa region toward Türkiye, causing a fire and forcing the evacuation of part of the crew.
The vessel, which was sailing under the Vanuatu flag and was reportedly carrying cargo at the time, had Turkish ownership links, according to Ukrainian officials.
“The Russian Federation carried out a targeted attack on a Turkish vessel,” the Ukrainian navy said in a statement posted on Telegram. It said two crew members were wounded but did not immediately provide further details on the ship’s cargo or extent of damage.
Russian authorities did not immediately comment on the Ukrainian allegations.
The incident comes amid repeated strikes on shipping in the Black Sea, a critical corridor for grain and commercial goods since the start of the war in Ukraine. Maritime security in the region has remained a point of concern for coastal states, including Türkiye, which controls access to the Black Sea through the Bosporus under the 1936 Montreux Convention.
Ankara has repeatedly urged both Moscow and Kyiv to avoid actions that could endanger civilian shipping, warning that spillover from the conflict risks wider instability in the region.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Türkiye and Pakistan are working together with “brotherly countries” to help end ongoing regional conflicts and restore peace and stability, underscoring the importance of mediation efforts and expressing hope for positive outcomes from negotiations.
The remarks came as Erdoğan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif discussed bilateral ties and regional developments amid heightened tensions across the region, according to a statement made by the Presidential Communications Directorate.
Erdoğan said Ankara and Islamabad would continue taking steps to deepen Türkiye-Pakistan relations across all sectors, reaffirming the close partnership between the two countries.
The Turkish president also congratulated Sharif and the people of Pakistan on Eid al-Adha.
Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Chair Devlet Bahçeli called Republican People’s Party (CHP) former chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu and CHP parliamentary group leader Özgür Özel on Thursday to extend Eid al-Adha, also known as Qurban Bayram, greetings, according to statements from the opposition party.
A statement from CHP headquarters said Bahçeli phoned Kılıçdaroğlu to congratulate him on the Islamic holiday.
Separately, Özel’s press office said the MHP leader also called the CHP parliamentary group leader to convey his Eid al-Adha wishes.
The statement added that Bahçeli was the first political figure to congratulate Özel on the Qurban Bayram holiday.
The holiday exchange came amid an ongoing debate within the CHP over a recent court case seeking absolute nullity regarding the party’s 2023 congress that brought Özel to the leadership. The case has fueled political tensions and speculation over a possible legal challenge to the legitimacy of the congressional process and the current party administration.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan attended Eid al-Adha prayers on Wednesday at Istanbul’s Grand Çamlıca Mosque, using the annual religious occasion to underline themes of unity, devotion, and the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
Erdoğan departed early morning from his home in Kısıklı, Üsküdar, and arrived at Grand Çamlıca Mosque, where he was greeted by citizens gathered outside. He paused briefly to speak with attendees before entering the mosque for the Eid prayer.
Inside, he joined worshippers in the main prayer hall, standing in line with the congregation as imam-hatip Hafız Kerim Öztürk led the service.
The president remained for the sermon that followed, observing the traditional khutbah delivered to mark the start of Eid al-Adha, known in Türkiye as Kurban Bayramı.
After prayers concluded, Erdoğan addressed worshippers inside the mosque, framing Eid al-Adha as a religious moment centered on submission, sacrifice, and closeness to God. He referenced the story of Prophet Ibrahim and Ismail as the foundation of the holiday’s meaning, saying the spirit of surrender to God should remain a guiding principle for Muslims.
He called for enduring unity and stability among believers, offering prayers for health and peace, and expressing hope that the sense of brotherhood associated with Eid would extend across generations. His remarks repeatedly returned to the idea that collective strength depends on shared faith and solidarity.
A significant portion of his address focused on the wider Muslim world, particularly conflict zones. Erdoğan cited Gaza and Palestine as central examples, saying the current conditions there reflected a deeper test for the Islamic world.
“We are seeking this submission today in Gaza and in Palestine,” he said, linking the religious message of Eid to resilience amid conflict and describing unity as essential to strength and survival for Muslim communities globally.
Following the mosque address, Erdoğan stepped outside to greet journalists and continue his Eid message in a more informal setting. He described Eid as a period defined by compassion, mutual respect, and social solidarity, while emphasizing that Kurban Bayramı carries a distinct spiritual meaning tied to sacrifice and devotion.
He drew a parallel between the ritual of sacrifice and the idea of drawing closer to God, while also referencing the annual Hajj pilgrimage. Pointing to the gathering at Arafat, he said the unity seen during Hajj should serve as a model for global Muslim cohesion, especially as pilgrims begin returning home.
Erdoğan again turned to Gaza during the press interaction, describing the situation as a defining moral issue of the holiday period. He referred to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a “tyrant” and expressed hope that global Muslim communities would respond with stronger collective resolve. He said he expected a clearer stance against the suffering in the region and called for an end to violence.
He closed his remarks with prayers for peace and unity across the Islamic world, expressing hope that Eid would become a catalyst for greater solidarity and cooperation among Muslim nations.
Following the exchange with reporters, refreshments including chocolates and simit were distributed to members of the press.
The president was accompanied by a senior delegation that included former parliament speaker İsmail Kahraman, Youth and Sports Minister Osman Aşkın Bak, Industry and Technology Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacır, Communications Director Burhanettin Duran, Istanbul Governor Davut Gül, Istanbul Police Chief Selami Yıldız, and several senior ruling party officials. Businessman Acun Ilıcalı was also present among attendees.
Erdoğan’s appearance at Çamlıca Mosque continues a longstanding practice of marking major Islamic holidays in prominent Istanbul mosques, often paired with broader political messaging on domestic cohesion and international affairs.
Eid al-Adha is being observed across Türkiye from May 27 to May 30, with public sector holidays extended for the period.
Türkiye’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) will hold a congress once a court-issued injunction is lifted, the party’s newly reinstated leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu said Wednesday.
“We will hold a congress, friends. Can there be a party without a congress? A congress will be held,” Kılıçdaroğlu told reporters in response to questions about demands for a party congress.
“Of course, for this to happen, the congress must be held on legal grounds. There is an injunction decision. Once the injunction decision is lifted, the convention will be held, so there is no problem,” he added.
The CHP has descended into chaos after a May 21 court ruling that overturned a 2023 party primary which elected Özgür Özel as leader and reinstated Kılıçdaroğlu, setting off competing leadership claims between the rival camps. Three days later, riot police evicted Özel’s administration from the CHP’s Ankara headquarters after the ousted leader refused to leave. Authorities launched a probe into the violence that unfolded during the eviction. Özel has since been named the party’s parliamentary group chair.
Asked whether the party would have to wait until the Supreme Court of Appeals issues a final and binding ruling after reviewing the case, Kılıçdaroğlu said the issue would be discussed with legal experts within the party.
“We will meet with our lawyer friends, sit down and talk. What is the situation? How can we hold the convention as soon as possible? How can we organize it? We will work on these issues,” he said.
Responding to a question about Özel’s proposal to elect a party chair through the votes of 2 million members, Kılıçdaroğlu said the procedures were clear.
“It is already clear how the chairman is elected. You cannot bypass the convention. The party’s chairmen are elected by congress,” he said.
Özel and his allies are pushing for an early extraordinary congress to settle crisis, Turkish media reported earlier this week.
Despite the crisis, Özel moved quickly to scotch rumors he might leave the CHP to form a new political faction and urges his fellow party members to stay put.
“We have no intention of forming a new party,” he told journalists after attending prayers in Manisa, his hometown near the western resort of Izmir, on the first day of Eid al-Adha, also known as Qurban Bayram.
“”There are those who say ‘we should resign’, but no one should leave the party or resign. We will resolve this issue,” he said, repeating calls for a leadership primary “as soon as possible”.
Türkiye is preparing to expand its e-Hearing system to broader areas of the judiciary as part of an ongoing digital transformation drive aimed at making legal proceedings faster, more accessible and more efficient.
Justice Minister Akın Gürlek said Friday the new phase of the initiative would widen the use of remote hearings beyond first-instance courts and extend them to regional courts of appeal, allowing a wider range of participants to join proceedings online.
Under the planned expansion, lawyers, defendants, expert witnesses, specialists and witnesses will be able to take part in hearings through digital platforms. The reform is also expected to cover procedural steps such as preliminary hearings, interrogations, witness testimony, oaths and letters rogatory.
The Justice Ministry said work on the expanded system accelerated after Gürlek pledged to continue technological reforms designed to reduce lawyers’ workload and speed judicial processes.
“We will continue to develop digital capabilities so that our lawyers can dedicate their energy to their professional activities instead of going back and forth to the courthouse,” Gürlek said.
The initiative forms part of a broader judicial modernization effort centered on digital services and technology-assisted legal procedures. Recent reforms have emphasized shortening trial times, improving access to justice and strengthening institutional efficiency.
The e-Hearing system operates through the National Judiciary Informatics System, or UYAP, Türkiye’s long-running digital judicial network designed to manage court files, legal correspondence and case proceedings electronically. UYAP has been developed over the past two decades to reduce bureaucracy, accelerate proceedings and support paperless judicial administration.
The latest expansion follows several technology-focused initiatives introduced by the ministry in recent months. Authorities recently announced the rollout of the “e-Avukat” application enabling secure video meetings between lawyers and inmates, while Gürlek also unveiled plans for a domestic artificial intelligence-supported UYAP decision support system capable of rapidly analyzing precedent rulings and complex case files.
Ministry officials said judges may also be granted authority to order e-Hearings on their own initiative when deemed necessary, a step intended to further streamline proceedings and improve courtroom efficiency.
Lawyers have generally welcomed the expanded use of digital hearings, particularly for reducing travel burdens and easing scheduling pressures.
The ministry says the reforms are part of a longer-term effort to build a faster and more accessible justice system through technological innovation and digital legal services.
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