A lawmaker from the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) resigned on June 23, accusing the reinstated leadership of turning the organization into a vehicle for personal political battles.
Ümit Dikbayır announced his resignation from the CHP in a statement posted on social media.
Dikbayır said his decision was not directed at the CHP’s history or founding values but at what he described as a leadership mentality that had transformed the party into “a tool for personal vendettas.”
“I do not accept the CHP being turned into a tool for one person’s never-ending vendettas,” he wrote.
His departure came amid reports that the restored administration led by Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu was considering disciplinary measures and possible expulsion proceedings against Dikbayır and fellow MP Adnan Beker.
Dikbayır joined the CHP in October 2025 after continuing his political career as an independent lawmaker following his expulsion from the İYİ (Good) Party.
The resignation adds to uncertainty surrounding the CHP after a court last month invalidated the party’s 2023 convention over alleged irregularities, reinstating Kılıçdaroğlu and his administration to senior positions.
Allies of ousted leader Özgür Özel have demanded an extraordinary vote to restore him to office, while the reinstated leadership has insisted the party should wait until its next regularly scheduled convention.
The dispute has fueled speculation that Özel and his supporters could establish a new political party or join an existing one.
On June 24, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan formally welcomed Istanbul lawmaker Nimet Özdemir into his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) during a weekly meeting in parliament.
Özdemir resigned from the CHP on June 17 without publicly explaining her decision.
Earlier this week, Levent Koç, the CHP mayor of Ankara’s Haymana district, joined the AKP just hours after leaving the main opposition party.
Since Türkiye’s March 2024 local elections, 17 CHP mayors have switched to the AKP, including one metropolitan mayor, one provincial mayor, 13 district mayors and two town mayors.
