ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Ozgur Ozel announced Tuesday plans to form a new party after a court reinstated his predecessor as CHP chairman, citing alleged irregularities in the congress that had made Ozel party leader.
"After the technical procedures, rest assured that with our newly established party, alongside our MPs, we will become the main opposition party in the Turkish Grand National Assembly by a wide margin," Ozel told CHP lawmakers during a party meeting at the legislature, during which he resigned from the party.
At least one lawmaker followed suit, resigning from the party.
Ozel has not disclosed the name of his party but noted that "the party's name may change, the party's logo may change, the day will come when the times change, and those who fall apart will unite, but they cannot divide this unity."
A lawmaker loyal to Ozel told local media that Ozel does not see the CHP as a rival but plans to challenge President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).
The announcement follows a late-May ruling by an appeals court in Ankara that suspended the CHP's current leadership and reinstated the former administration, in a case concerning the legality of the party's 2023 congress, which had resulted in a leadership change.
Ozel defeated the CHP's long-standing leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu at the party congress. Following the vote, Kilicdaroglu's allies filed a lawsuit alleging vote-buying, bribery and procedural violations during the congress — accusations denied by the new administration.
Ozel's administration, which led the party for nearly three years, has described the court ruling as a "judicial coup" and accused the government of orchestrating the move to weaken the opposition ahead of future elections.
"Just as 10 months ago, while going from 25 percent of the vote with five parties to 38 percent, we embraced the lion-hearted social democrats, conservative democrats, nationalist democrats, Kurdish democrats, socialist democrats, and liberal democrats, and established the Turkey Alliance with them," Ozel stated.
The leader invited "all democrats who have no problem with Ataturk, no problem with the National Pact borders, and no problem with the Republic to be embraced in the Turkey Alliance and to march to power together."
Founded by modern Turkey's founder, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the CHP is Turkey's main opposition force. The party emerged as the leading force in the 2024 local elections, dealing a major blow to the AKP.
Human Rights Watch reported in late May that Erdogan's government is undermining democracy through "abusive tactics" against the CHP, calling the court ruling "the latest deeply damaging blow to the rule of law, democracy and human rights" in Turkey.
The AKP has held power in Turkey since November 2002, maintaining a parliamentary majority through consecutive electoral victories — marking almost 24 years of control over the Turkish Grand National Assembly.
The centrist CHP holds 135 seats in the 600-seat parliament, with most of its lawmakers expected to move over to Ozel's new party.
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