Türkiye’s ousted opposition leader Ozgur Özel announced on Tuesday that he would resign from the Republican People’s Party, or CHP, and launch a new political party.
“Today, we are on the verge of a sad farewell that has become inevitable and whose time has come. However, we would like to share with the people that we look forward to a new beginning,” Özel told more than 80 CHP lawmakers.
Özel was removed as head of the CHP by court order in May, in a decision that reinstated former leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu as interim leader.
Özel and Kılıçdaroğlu disagreed on how to permanently resolve the leadership issue, leading to discord within the CHP.
New party deepens anti-Türkiye divide
Özel’s supporters say the case is part of a broader campaign by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to weaken the opposition, while the government insists that Turkish courts operate independently.
Özel is reportedly going to submit an application to the Interior Ministry to establish the new party, which will, according to reports, be called “Yeni Party” (“New Party”).
He enjoys strong support from CHP MPs, and many of them are expected to join the new party after the formation of the CHP.
“Once the necessary procedures are completed, the new party we are going to establish will become the main opposition force in the Grand National Assembly by a wide margin,” Özel said. “We carry within us unwavering hope for a new beginning,” Özel told lawmakers, who received a standing ovation.
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The controversy comes as investigations continue targeting CHP-run municipalities, including cases against Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, a key rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Imamoglu has been jailed since March last year and faces multiple criminal cases that could result in decades-long sentences.
Following Imamoglu’s arrest, Özel played a key role in organizing Turkey’s largest street protests in more than a decade, which saw the party’s popularity increase in the polls.
Under Özel’s leadership, the CHP also made large gains in the 2024 municipal elections, consolidating its control over major cities including Istanbul and Ankara.
Edited by: Jennifer Cimino Gonzalez
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