ANKARA, Turkey (AP) 鈥� The deposed leader of Turkey’s main opposition party on Friday formed a new political party to challenge months after he was removed from his post by a court order that his supporters slammed as a political move to weaken the opposition.
and 90 other legislators formally resigned from the Republican People鈥檚 Party, or CHP, and then registered the new political party 鈥� named the 鈥淣ew Party鈥� 鈥� with the Interior Ministry.
鈥淢ay it be auspicious for our homeland, our nation, and our party,鈥� Ozel said in a video posted on X, showing him signing a document formalizing his resignation from the CHP, Turkey’s oldest political party.
In May, a court of appeal annulled a 2023 party congress vote that appointed Ozel as CHP chair. The court decision, which cited alleged irregularities, reinstated the unpopular Kemal Kilicdaroglu as leader. Ozel鈥檚 ouster
Ozel, 51, had succeeded the 77鈥憏ear鈥憃ld Kilicdaroglu after 13 years of what many analysts described as ineffective opposition to Erdogan.
Ozel’s supporters view his ouster as part of a wider crackdown on the opposition.
In the past two years, hundreds of and other officials from CHP-run municipalities have been detained as part of criminal investigations, mostly into alleged corruption.
They include , the mayor of Istanbul, who is widely considered the strongest potential challenger to Erdogan. Imamoglu, who represents the CHP, has been imprisoned since March last year and faces criminal cases that could result in decades-long sentences. It was not known clear if Imamoglu would also join the New Party.
Erdogan’s government insists that Turkey鈥檚 courts are impartial and act independently of political pressure.
Under Ozel鈥檚 leadership, the CHP had delivered a significant blow to Erdogan鈥檚 party in the 2024 municipal elections.
With a total of 91 legislators in the 600-seat parliament, the New Party is expected to replace the CHP as the main opposition. Erdogan’s ruling Islamic-oriented Justice and Development Party, or AKP, has 277 seats, while the CHP has been reduced to 44 seats after the defections.
Ozel decided to establish a new party after Kilicdaroglu rejected repeated demands to call a fresh leadership election after the earlier one was annulled.
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
