Story perspectives

Ozel Resigns, Forms New Party, Threatening CHP, Boosting Erdogan

7/22/2026

Summary

Ozel Forms Party

Ozgur Ozel resigned from the Republican People’s Party (CHP) on July 21, 2026 and will form a new party.
A May 2026 court annulled the CHP’s 2023 congress and reinstated Kemal Kilicdaroglu as leader.
Analysts say the split could pull CHP voters and MPs, weakening the opposition and helping President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s AK Party, which has 328 of the 360 seats needed for Erdogan to run before May 2028.

Summary

Erdogan Denies

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan denied government interference in the judiciary, calling Ozgur Ozel’s removal an internal CHP dispute.
The Justice Ministry said Turkey’s courts operate independently despite opposition criticism.
Ozgur Ozel and supporters called the May court decision stripping him of the CHP chairmanship a politically motivated “coup.”
Criminal investigations after the 2024 municipal elections have detained many CHP officials, including Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, imprisoned since March last year.

History

Historical Context

The 15 July 2016 coup attempt triggered a state of emergency under President Erdogan, leading to the dismissal of more than 100,000 public servants and the removal of 2,745 judges on 16 July. Those purges stripped the Republican People’s Party of many members, a legacy echoed in the 2026 court reinstatement of Kemal Kiliçdaroglu and Ozgur Ozel’s resignation, reshaping parliamentary balance.

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Ozel Forms Party

Ozgur Ozel resigned from the Republican People’s Party (CHP) on July 21, 2026 and will form a new party.
A May 2026 court annulled the CHP’s 2023 congress and reinstated Kemal Kilicdaroglu as leader.
Analysts say the split could pull CHP voters and MPs, weakening the opposition and helping President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s AK Party, which has 328 of the 360 seats needed for Erdogan to run before May 2028.

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