Photos of CHP Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu and CHP Parliamentary Group Leader Özgür Özel have been put back up at the CHP headquarters.
Reinstated main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu moved to consolidate control after an enforcement office approved the return of the party bodies ahead of the next ordinary convention, following a court ruling that voided the 2023 results.
Kılıçdaroğlu’s team returned to the leadership by court order. They submitted a petition requesting the reinstatement of the former Party Council and High Disciplinary Board. An Ankara enforcement office accepted the request, paving the way for the restoration of members who served before the 2023 vote.
The move follows a May 21 ruling by a court that declared the CHP congress “completely null,” provisionally removing CHP leader Özgür Özel and the current administration from office and transferring authority to Kılıçdaroğlu and his team.
After the ruling, the chief prosecutor’s office updated official political party records to list Kılıçdaroğlu once again as CHP chairman. According to the prosecutor’s office, the party has more than 1.9 million registered members.
Kılıçdaroğlu is expected to hold the first meeting of the reinstated Party Council and High Disciplinary Board on June 1. Several former members, however, will not take part due to their current roles as mayors, parliamentary officials or lawmakers.
Kılıçdaroğlu’s press adviser, Atakan Sönmez, also denied claims that party salary payments had been frozen, saying instructions had been given to ensure all CHP employees are paid and that party operations were continuing normally.
