Politics
New Party sees growing tensions during local congresses across Türkiye
Türkiye’s opposition New Party (YP) is facing growing internal tensions during its ongoing provincial and district congresses, with disputes over membership numbers, leadership and voting procedures emerging in several provinces.
The latest disagreements surfaced in the southern province of Antalya and the western province of Izmir, following tensions at party congresses in Trabzon, Istanbul, Eskişehir and Mersin.
In Antalya, Nail Kamacı, the party’s acting provincial chair, questioned a sharp increase in membership ahead of the provincial congress.
Speaking at the party’s first ordinary district congress in Konyaaltı, Kamacı said 10,000 of the party’s 27,000 members in the province had joined within the past 35 days.
“Why? For the provincial chairmanship,” Kamacı said, arguing that the increase did not represent a “healthy” membership figure.
In late July, Özgür Özel launched the New Party after being ousted from the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) following a court ruling that invalidated the party’s previous congress.
Özel had led the CHP to a historic victory in the 2024 local elections, winning control of several major municipalities, including Istanbul, Ankara and other major urban centers. After the split, he argued that the YP could build on that momentum and develop into a broader political movement.
Tensions also emerged in Izmir, where former Izmir Mayor Aziz Kocaoğlu sharply criticized the New Party Izmir provincial chair, Çağatay Güç, during the party’s district congress in Urla.
Kocaoğlu accused the provincial leadership of engaging in political maneuvering and called on party members to field an alternative candidate.
“Izmir is nobody’s property,” Kocaoğlu noted, urging members to replace the current provincial leadership.
A separate dispute erupted during an internal party vote in Izmir’s Buca district.
An argument between supporters of rival candidates broke out following the vote count and escalated into a physical confrontation. Party members and security personnel intervened to separate the sides.
The disputes follow tensions at several other New Party congresses, including in Mersin, where gunshots were reportedly heard during unrest surrounding a district congress last week.
Justice Minister Akın Gürlek said on Monday that 89 people wanted in connection with ordinary and terrorism-related crimes were extradited to Türkiye from 16 different countries during the third quarter of 2026, covering the period from July 1 to Sept. 30.
“With this, the total number of people brought to Türkiye during the first nine months of 2026 reached 294,” Gürlek said.
Gürlek shared the figures for the third quarter and first nine months of 2026 concerning the extradition of criminals who fled abroad in a post on his NSosyal account.
“There is nowhere for criminals to hide,” Gürlek said, adding that Turkish justice would sooner or later take the necessary action. Gürlek said Türkiye, under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, was continuing its fight against crime and criminals with the same determination beyond its borders, adding that all available means were being mobilized to apprehend fugitives abroad and bring them back to Türkiye.
Gürlek said the extradition processes were being followed without compromise, stating: “Through efforts led by our Justice Ministry and carried out in coordination with our Interior and Foreign Ministries, we are closely and continuously monitoring the extradition processes of criminals who have fled abroad. On July 1, we said, ‘Those who think they can commit crimes and escape justice will not feel safe no matter where in the world they hide.’ We have not wavered from this determination over the past three months.
“During the third quarter of 2026, covering the period from July 1 to Sept. 30, 89 people wanted in connection with ordinary and terrorism-related crimes were extradited to Türkiye from 16 different countries. Of these, 48 were brought from Georgia, 12 from Germany, 10 from Greece and three from the United Kingdom. Thus, the total number of people brought to Türkiye during the first nine months of 2026 reached 294. During this period, Georgia ranked first with 137 people, followed by Germany with 67, Greece with 19, Montenegro with nine, Bulgaria with eight and the United Kingdom with five.”
Gürlek said Türkiye would continue to observe the principle of reciprocity in international judicial cooperation and take into account how justified extradition requests were reciprocated.
“No matter which criminal organization they belong to or which country they flee to, we will not stop pursuing terrorists, members of organized crime groups, fraudsters and criminal elements seeking to undermine the peace and security of our people,” he said.
Türkiye particularly seeks extradition of members of the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) scattered across the world when the crackdown escalated on the group, especially after the July 15, 2016 coup attempt it carried out with its military infiltrators.
According to the Justice Ministry, Turkish judicial authorities have so far prepared 2,950 extradition requests involving 2,765 suspects and submitted them to 119 countries.
The largest number of requests were sent to Germany, the United States and Belgium. Authorities submitted 777 extradition files to Germany, 428 to the United States and 142 to Belgium.
However, many of the requests have either been rejected or remain unresolved. Germany has rejected 519 requests, while 355 cases submitted to the United States are still pending, according to ministry figures.
One of the most significant obstacles remains the position of Interpol. Turkish authorities have repeatedly sought Red Notices for wanted FETÖ members, but none have been approved by Interpol’s General Secretariat.
Turkish officials point to a 2018 decision by Interpol’s Executive Committee, which concluded that requests related to FETÖ could fall under Article 3 of the organization’s constitution, prohibiting intervention in matters considered political in nature.
Foreign governments have frequently cited asylum status, citizenship protections, concerns over alleged political motivations and potential risks of mistreatment as reasons for rejecting extradition requests.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Monday that two Russian drones struck a Turkish-owned civilian vessel carrying corn in neutral waters in the Black Sea, killing the ship’s captain.
Zelenskyy said Azerbaijani and Indian nationals were aboard the vessel at the time of the attack.
Eleven crew members were rescued, including one who was injured, while the fate of another person was initially unknown, he said in a statement on social media platform X.
The Ukrainian leader described the vessel as a Turkish-owned civilian ship carrying corn and said it was sailing in neutral waters when it was hit by two Russian drones.
Ukraine had proposed measures aimed at reducing tensions and improving security in the Black Sea, and that proposals had also been put forward by third countries, Zelenskyy said.
He accused Russia of choosing attacks rather than ensuring the safe passage of civilian vessels and called for international pressure to restore security in the Black Sea and protect global food supplies.
The incident comes amid heightened security concerns over commercial shipping in the Black Sea as the Russia-Ukraine war continues.
Türkiye extended condolences to the people of Nigeria on Monday and said that it is “deeply saddened” over a deadly military aircraft crash in its Ondo state.
“We are deeply saddened by the loss of lives resulting from the crash of a military aircraft today in Ondo state of Nigeria,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
The statement also offered the nation’s condolences to those who lost their relatives in the accident and to the people of Nigeria.
A military helicopter crashed in the southwestern state of Ondo on Monday, according to Jimoh Abayomi, public relations officer for the state police.
Abayomi said an investigation into the accident had been launched and that security forces had been deployed to the crash site.
Nigerian Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo told reporters that the helicopter crashed near the Igbokoda Naval Base.
He said 25 passengers and seven crew members were on board, adding that the wreckage had been located and search and rescue operations in the area are ongoing.
Keyamo did not provide any information on casualties or injuries from the crash.
However, media reports quoted the African country’s president, Bola Tinubu, as saying that all 32 people on board lost their lives.
The crash was seen as one of the worst air disasters in recent years in Africa’s most populous country.
“The president extends his deepest condolences to the family of the 25 passengers and seven crew members involved,” Tinubu’s office said in a statement.
A video circulating on social media showed a small crowd gathered near a river while rescuers searched the area by boat.
The president said he had “directed the Nigerian Air Force to immediately commence a thorough investigation into the cause of the crash to prevent future occurrences.”
Three suspects, including a former deputy head of Türkiye’s Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK), have been jailed as part of an investigation into alleged political or military espionage involving the agency’s financial intelligence systems.
Former MASAK Deputy Chair Inönü Akgün Alp and agency employees Eda Aydoğan and Güner Eke were arrested as authorities investigate alleged unauthorized access to MASAK’s Integrated Financial Intelligence System, known as EMIS.
The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office is investigating claims that individuals and companies linked to the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) gained influence over the development and maintenance of MASAK’s critical digital infrastructure between 2012 and 2018.
According to findings cited in the investigation, Aydoğan, a former MASAK statistician, allegedly had administrator-level access to an Oracle Exadata database between 2016 and 2019 despite holding no managerial position.
The investigation also found that a security mechanism designed to alert senior officials when financial information belonging to politically exposed persons was accessed was disabled on Sept. 2, 2016.
Investigators allege that thousands of unauthorized searches involving President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, members of his family and some Cabinet officials were subsequently conducted through EMIS between September 2016 and December 2018.
Financial investigations by police and cybercrime units also uncovered alleged links between FETÖ and subcontracted technology companies responsible for MASAK’s software infrastructure and database management.
Türkiye’s Savings Deposit Insurance Fund (TMSF) was appointed as trustee to several technology companies, whose partners included Hakan Çiçek, group’s civilian imam accused of playing a key role in the 2016 coup attempt detained at Akıncı Air Base, as well as other FETÖ operatives.
According to official reports cited in the investigation, the companies channeled TL 210 million ($4.3 million) to the group through public contracts.
Investigators also found that audit logs designed to record who accessed the systems had been disabled and identifying data deleted. The network is accused of erasing digital traces of unauthorized access involving senior government officials, including the president.
Investigators further allege that audit logs identifying users accessing the systems were disabled or deleted, making it more difficult to trace unauthorized searches.
Separately, witness testimony included in the case file alleges Aydoğan was involved in distributing questions ahead of a 2013 public personnel examination to individuals linked to FETÖ.
Türkiye will host the multinational Nusret-2026 Invitation Exercise from Oct. 6-16 in the Gulf of Izmir and off the coast of Karadeniz Ereğli, the Defense Ministry said Sunday.
The exercise will bring together Turkish forces, as well as military personnel and assets from allied and partner countries, with 20 ships, five aircraft and unmanned systems, the ministry said.
Participants will include units from the Turkish Naval Forces, Air Force and Coast Guard Command, as well as NATO’s Standing Mine Countermeasures Group 2 (SNMCMG-2), comprising assets from Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain and Türkiye.
The Black Sea Mine Countermeasures Task Group, known as MCM Black Sea, with units from Bulgaria, Romania and Türkiye, will also participate.
Explosive ordnance disposal and autonomous underwater vehicle teams from the United States, Belgium, the Netherlands, Kuwait, Romania and Oman will participate in the drills, while 32 military observers from a number of countries will attend.
According to the ministry, the exercise is aimed at improving the participating units’ capabilities in the planning, execution and assessment of mine warfare operations.
It also seeks to enhance interoperability among mine warfare units from different countries and strengthen their ability to conduct coordinated multinational operations.
Türkiye most recently conducted the Sea Wolf-I/2026 (“Denizkurdu-I/2026”) Exercise from Sept. 20-25 in the Black Sea, Aegean Sea and Eastern Mediterranean, with 100 ships, 50 aircraft and 14,000 personnel taking part.
The growing rift between the main opposition New Party (YP) and the former main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) manifested in Muğla, a southwestern city home to world-famous Bodrum and other top tourism destinations. A local CHP official suggested that Mayor Ahmet Aras should face disciplinary proceedings for his contacts with YP.
YP was formed in July by Özgür Özel, the former chair of CHP. Özel was removed from office by a court ruling over allegations of vote-buying during a 2023 intra-party election that brought him to power. He was replaced by his predecessor Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu. Kılıçdaroğlu’s return sparked a bitter row with supporters of Özel, who accused him of betraying the party by accepting the court’s request for his reinstatement. Özel initially appealed the verdict but decided to form the new party after receiving overwhelming support among CHP lawmakers.
Under Kılıçdaroğlu, CHP began what it called a “cleansing” process, expelling several figures accused of corruption. The new administration has been more muted about the fate of members openly supporting Özel while several mayors resigned from the party and remain independent, leaving the door open for a future switch to YP.
Aras, who was Bodrum mayor for CHP before his election as Muğla Metropolitan Municipality mayor in the 2024 elections, faces accusations of cooperating with YP while remaining in CHP. CHP’s local branch was angered when Aras temporarily handed over his duties to a YP municipal assembly member in Muğla during a recent visit to Syria. Aras also reportedly ceased contact with CHP’s Muğla branch.
Aziz Gürsoy, head of CHP’s disciplinary board in Muğla, told the Sabah newspaper that Aras has almost severed all ties with CHP.
“It is neither ethical nor legitimate for Mr. Aras to remain in the CHP under the current conditions. In fact, I believe there is bad intent here. He needs to be expelled immediately. Even during his trips abroad, he leaves the municipality (to YP). He has no communication with us. He no longer has any emotional or organic ties to the CHP,” Gürsoy stated.
Stating that they will protect the institutional structure of the CHP under all conditions and that no one is above the party, Gürsoy said: “The current picture creates serious concern among the CHP base. If this situation continues, as the president of the provincial disciplinary board, I will personally apply to headquarters for Mr. Aras’s expulsion. We will not hesitate to take any step necessary to protect the rights, rules and institutional structure of the CHP.”
According to the CHP bylaws, metropolitan mayors can only be referred to the High Disciplinary Board upon the request of the Party Assembly.
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