Özel says CHP ‘will not surrender’ after court overturns convention

ANKARA

Main opposition leader Özgür Özel vowed not to “surrender” on May 21 after a court ruling stripped authority from the current administration of his Republican People’s Party (CHP), calling the decision politically motivated.

“We are the landlords here. Tenants leave, landlords remain. The true owners of this home decide who will sit in it,” Özel said in televised remarks after a marathon meeting at CHP headquarters following the ruling.

An Ankara court ruled on May 21 that the CHP’s 38th ordinary convention, where Özel defeated longtime chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, was a case of “complete nullity” due to alleged irregularities. The decision effectively reinstated Kılıçdaroğlu as party leader.

“Our crime is making the CHP the leading party after 47 years, defeating the [ruling] AKP for the first time since its founding. Our crime is being the hope of pensioners and minimum wage earners,” Özel said.

“Erdoğan intends to leave the nation without candidates, without options. The CHP stands firm against all coup plotters, collaborators and their career ambitions.”

Özel said the CHP would appeal the ruling to the Court of Appeals and the Supreme Election Council. He also pledged to intensify the party’s response.

“The CHP has a resistance plan, a plan of action, which will be discussed with all stakeholders, but everyone should know that no one will surrender to this coup,” he said.

The ruling drew criticism from several opposition parties, including the İYİ (Good) Party, Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), Future Party, Democracy and Progress Party (DEVA Party), Victory Party, Workers’ Party of Türkiye (TİP) and Felicity Party.

Özel also said Kılıçdaroğlu had called him after the ruling, although he had not yet returned the call.

“Until CHP members, not the judicial branches of the AK Party, decide who will lead the CHP, I will stay in this building, in my office. I am not going anywhere,” he told supporters gathered outside party headquarters earlier in the evening.

Kılıçdaroğlu’s first move was to dismiss three lawyers working at party headquarters, according to media reports.

Following the court decision, the Financial Stability Committee of the Treasury and Finance Ministry convened to assess the impact of market volatility on the economy.

The benchmark BIST 100 index dropped more than 6 percent during trading, prompting a circuit breaker mechanism before the close.