Politics
Investigation, reinvention dominate the agenda of Türkiye’s CHP
The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) faces more scrutiny over a shady 2023 election while Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, the new chair of the party, seeks to assemble a new administration. Meanwhile, a dispute between new and former leaders resurfaced on Tuesday over a parliamentary group meeting.
The Chief Prosecutor’s Office in Istanbul announced that it had asked relevant authorities to share findings regarding the delegates who voted in the 2023 election that brought Özgür Özel to power in Türkiye’s oldest party. The election was the subject of an investigation over allegations of vote-buying in favor of Özel. Last month, a court looking into the matter ordered the reinstatement of Özel’s predecessor, Kılıçdaroğlu, ruling for absolute nullification of the Özel administration. The office said reports on delegates and their next of kin would be requested from the Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK) and cash flow in their bank accounts would also be investigated.
On Tuesday, two individuals were also summoned to testify in the case. They were identified as Özkan Yalım and Turgut Koç. Yalım, the former mayor of the western province of Uşak, was recently arrested on charges of corruption. Collaborating with authorities, Yalım has confessed to secretly funding the Özel administration and bribing delegates to vote for Özel in the 2023 election. Koç is a businessman who was arrested in a separate case regarding drugs and prostitution and allegedly has links to Veli Ağbaba, a CHP lawmaker for the Malatya constituency. Koç has already admitted that he paid cash to delegates to collect votes for Özel.
Also on Tuesday, the Kılıçdaroğlu administration announced that it did not request permission for holding a parliamentary group meeting. The parliamentary group meetings are closely watched events for a party’s supporters as the party chairs make lengthy speeches over a diverse array of matters. Özgür Özel was appointed as CHP’s parliamentary group chair after Kılıçdaroğlu took the helm. The Özel and Kılıçdaroğlu camps reportedly bickered over who’d address the meeting while Özel’s associates in the party told media that it would be “business as usual.”
In his address to the parliamentary group meeting not attended by pro-Kılıçdaroğlu lawmakers, Özel vowed to fight to take back his seat. His speech, usually broadcast live by news stations, was not broadcast live this time, while Halk TV, a pro-Özel station, referred to him as “CHP leader,” stopping short of calling him CHP chairman.
Meanwhile, Kılıçdaroğlu’s CHP unveiled the new Central Administrative Committee of the party later on Tuesday. The committee was comprised of 19 people, all of whom loyal to the former chair. Among them were Berhan Şimşek, a lawmaker who was expelled from the party last year when he challenged Özel in an earlier intra-party election.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Monday said the government has no involvement in the ongoing political and legal disputes within the main opposition party, urging political actors to focus on issues that concern Türkiye’s future rather than internal rivalries.
Speaking after a Cabinet meeting in Ankara, Erdoğan said the ruling alliance, which consists of the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), remains focused on serving the nation and building a brighter future for Türkiye.
“None of the discussions within the main opposition party concern us,” Erdoğan said. “We are not, have never been and will never be a party to the political and legal struggle that has moved from convention halls to courtrooms.”
The president stressed that his administration is concentrating on addressing the country’s priorities rather than engaging in political quarrels.
“We are in a race not to trade words with anyone, but to prepare a brighter future for our nation, whose sacred trust we carry,” Erdoğan said.
Warning against attempts to create tension for political gain, Erdoğan said Türkiye’s social fabric does not tolerate violence, street unrest or disregard for the rule of law.
“Regardless of the pretext, we will not allow our streets to be destabilized, our nation to be polarized or our people to be set against our security forces,” he said.
Erdoğan also emphasized that no one has the right to distract Türkiye from its goals or undermine national unity during a sensitive period.
The president argued that the country needs consensus and cooperation on issues affecting all 86 million citizens, particularly the government’s “Terror-Free Türkiye” initiative.
“Türkiye does not need renewed political squabbles. It needs common ground, reconciliation and unity on matters that concern the entire nation, especially our Terror-Free Türkiye process,” Erdoğan said.
He called on political actors to approach the initiative constructively and contribute sincerely to efforts aimed at resolving long-standing security challenges.
Erdoğan added that the government and its alliance would continue to pursue an inclusive and unifying approach while prioritizing the interests of the nation and safeguarding Türkiye’s future above all political considerations.
The CHP has been grappling with internal divisions since former Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu lost the 2023 presidential election to President Erdoğan. Özgür Özel unseated Kılıçdaroğlu at the party’s 2023 congress, but the vote later became the subject of legal challenges over alleged irregularities. A court ruling last month annulled the congress results and reinstated Kılıçdaroğlu as chair, deepening tensions within the party. Rival gatherings held by supporters of Kılıçdaroğlu and Özel during the Eid al-Adha holiday underscored the growing rift as the CHP faces uncertainty ahead of the next general election scheduled for 2028.
Turkish authorities have uncovered an alleged matchmaking network operated by members of the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) through the encrypted messaging application Signal, according to findings obtained during ongoing investigations coordinated by prosecutors, police and the National Intelligence Organization (MIT).
Authorities intensified counterterrorism operations to restrict the group’s ability to operate, forcing members to avoid physical contact and shift communications to encrypted digital platforms.
According to the report by Sabah newspaper, technical examinations of seized digital materials revealed that the matchmaking system remained active in January and February 2025.
Investigators found that unmarried members, divorcees or individuals whose spouses had died could apply to designated “matchmaking coordinators” within the group to find potential partners.
According to the findings, priority was reportedly given to individuals with finalized prison sentences, those dismissed from public service or people considered sympathetic to the group.
The system allegedly relied on a referral-based structure designed to maintain operational security. During initial meetings, candidates were said to share details of investigations, court cases and sentences related to FETÖ as a form of “reference”.
Investigators also identified communications concerning former Staff Maj. Hakan Alaçam, who was tried on charges of providing false testimony in a case related to a 2009 landmine explosion in Çukurca that killed seven Turkish soldiers. Messages indicated that efforts were made to find a spouse for Alaçam through the network.
Authorities further determined that dismissed military personnel and other individuals linked to the group were included in the matchmaking process.
Correspondence recovered from Signal reportedly contained discussions about legal proceedings, prison sentences and candidate recommendations involving several suspected members.
The findings are part of broader investigations into the group’s activities and communication networks.
Mohammed Samaan Agha, newly elected Turkmen governor of Iraq’s Kirkuk, visited the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) on Monday. Agha met the party’s deputy chair, Kürşad Zorlu, who announced that the province would join the Union of Turkic World Municipalities soon.
For his part, Agha lauded President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s strong policies in the region, which “led to the election of a Turkmen governor in Kirkuk.”
Zorlu emphasized that Kirkuk is a highly important center and a significant symbol of Iraq–Türkiye relations. “Under the leadership of our President, we have taken very important steps in our relations with Iraq. In particular, the Development Road Project has been one of the most important milestones in our relations. Security and stability are among the key issues for Kirkuk. Kirkuk is a center where everyone should live in peace and tranquility. Ensuring Kirkuk’s security and peace means ensuring Iraq’s security and peace. Therefore, every step taken in our region that serves its stability and security is very important.”
Pointing out that the appointment of a Turkmen governor in Kirkuk was a promising development for peace and harmony in the city and for its future, Zorlu said, “No matter how much some people try to create division and polarization, peace has prevailed in Kirkuk. In Kirkuk, not only Turkmens but all those living there, regardless of origin or sect, have benefited from the city’s opportunities. We are pleased to see this and derive great satisfaction from it.”
Zorlu stated that President Erdoğan is highly sensitive both about the future of bilateral relations and about protecting the rights, freedoms, identities, languages, and constitutional rights of the Turkmens living in Kirkuk, and said that he closely follows this process.
Agha, who was chairperson of the Iraqi Turkmen Front, was elected by the Kirkuk Provincial Council on April 16 as the first Turkmen governor in decades in the province.
Kirkuk has a sizable population of Turkmens and has been a contested area in terms of elections due to its diverse demographics. It has also been a place contested between the Iraqi administration in Baghdad and Iraq’s Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), which controls most of northern Iraq. It was once part of Mosul province, which Türkiye wanted to control after the fall of the Ottoman Empire following World War I. Kirkuk’s last governor of Turkmen origin was Fettah Pasha, who governed during the Kingdom of Iraq, which was under British mandate.
Zorlu noted that during the visit, they especially discussed infrastructure projects, strengthening public services in Kirkuk, creating opportunities for young people and women, and similar issues.
“We also discussed the governor’s initiative to have Kirkuk join the Union of Turkic World Municipalities. In this regard, we held consultations. The Union’s President, the Mayor of Konya Metropolitan Municipality, will also participate in the meeting. God willing, Kirkuk will join the Union of Turkic World Municipalities,” he said.
Agha said that the stronger Türkiye’s foreign policy is, the more Turks abroad can stand strong and struggle.
Emphasizing that what they experienced in Kirkuk is proof of this, he said: “If it were not for this work by the instruction of the Republic of Türkiye’s Honorable President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his strong policy, and if it were not for the support of the institutions, a Turkmen governor could not have been elected in Kirkuk, this is a fact.”
Agha said that after taking office, the Iraqi Turkmen Front engaged with all political groups without discrimination, noting that he delivered his first speech as governor in Arabic, Turkish, Kurdish, and Syriac.
“We Turks, whichever country we live in, whatever country it may be, are a nation that respects our geography, the constitution, flag, land, and territorial integrity of the country we are in. A Turk never allows his country to be divided. That is why we stood against all division policies in Iraq. We stood up for Iraq’s territorial integrity. We became the cement of Iraq, so to speak. We maintained the brotherhood between Kurds and Arabs. Today, what suits us is to protect our flag, our geography, and our sovereignty, and to cooperate with the State of the Republic of Türkiye,” he said.
Pointing out that there are matters on which the two countries should cooperate in many areas, Agha said that one of them is the Development Road Project, which is planned to be completed in 2028.
Describing the project as vital for both Türkiye and Iraq, the governor said it would provide substantial benefits to Iraq, foster stronger trade cooperation and receive all possible support from local authorities.
Voters in six newly established municipalities and 362 neighborhoods across Türkiye will head to the polls on Sunday to elect local officials in by-elections triggered by administrative changes, deaths, resignations and other vacancies.
The elections will be held in six settlements that recently gained township status, including four in Tokat province, one in Gümüşhane and one in Nevşehir. Residents will vote to elect mayors and municipal council members, while voters in 362 neighborhoods nationwide will choose neighborhood heads, known as muhtars, and members of local councils.
Polling stations will open at 8 a.m. local time and close at 5 p.m., according to the Supreme Election Council (YSK).
The municipalities participating in the vote include Yolüstü and Çevrecik in Tokat’s Reşadiye district, Bağtaşı in Almus district, Kuşçu in Yeşilyurt district, Tekke in Gümüşhane province and Mustafapaşa in Nevşehir’s Ürgüp district.
A total of 27 political parties will compete in the municipal elections. The parties’ positions on the unified ballot were determined by a lottery held by the YSK on April 21.
The by-elections were called under Türkiye’s Law No. 2972 governing local administrations, neighborhood headships and local council elections. The law requires elections to fill local offices when new municipalities are established or when vacancies occur because of death, resignation or other reasons.
Election officials are expected to announce preliminary results shortly after voting ends Sunday evening.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan is set to meet Singaporean officials on Tuesday, including Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan and Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, as Türkiye seeks to deepen ties with the Southeast Asian nation, diplomatic sources said Monday.
Fidan will hold talks with Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan during his visit to Singapore on June 2.
The top Turkish diplomat is also expected to be received by Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and meet Home Affairs Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security K. Shanmugam.
As part of his visit, Fidan is scheduled to deliver remarks at an event organized by the think tank International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS).
The meetings are expected to begin at 6 a.m. Türkiye time, and no joint news conference is planned, the sources said.
Gürsel Tekin, who was appointed as trustee to the Istanbul branch of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) in 2025, is one of the staunch defenders of Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, the new chair of the party. As the Özgür Özel administration engaged in a battle to take the seat back from Kılıçdaroğlu, Tekin said Kılıçdaroğlu has more support than the public was led to believe.
A former lieutenant of Kılıçdaroğlu, Tekin spoke to the Sabah newspaper on Monday, commenting on the reinstatement of Kılıçdaroğlu by a court verdict last month, after Özgür Özel was ousted amid a lawsuit over a November 2023 election, on allegations of vote-buying in his favor.
He hit back the criticism of last Saturday’s event at party’s headquarters by the Özel supporters and denied “lack of interest” to the event where Kılıçdaroğlu made his first public speech after his reinstatement. He also rejected claims that people attending the event were not linked to the party. “All party members voluntarily attended the event and turnout was higher than we expected. People come to Ankara on their own and demonstrate a valuable example of solidarity. I am thankful to all party members,” he said.
Tekin argued that pro-Özel camp in CHP relied on social media influence too much and said politics cannot be redesigned through social media. “I am in touch with people every day, and hold in-person meetings. We see an extraordinary interest (in Kılıçdaroğlu’s comeback). Let (the Özel camp) choose any location in Istanbul and let’s see how many people they’d talk to will support them. We are with the people. Those who do not stand with us are online troll gangs,” Tekin said.
He stated that a large number of CHP supporters left the party during three years of Özel’s tenure. “In Istanbul alone, some 29,000 members quit. This is a striking number. I will work to win them back. We are working for unity, brotherhood of CHP,” he said.
He also criticized pro-Özel media outlets, which were funded by the Özel administration in the past. “They have been disappointed. I thought some journalists in those media outlets were dignified people but they have not talked to me since (appointment as CHP Istanbul chair). They criticize us, but they deprive us of the right of response,” he stated.
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