Overview
- Turkey’s appeals court on May 21 annulled the Republican People’s Party’s 2023 congress and ordered former leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu to replace Özgür Özel.
- CHP leaders held an emergency assembly after the decision as Özgür Özel and senior officials met to consider legal challenges and next steps.
- Financial markets reacted sharply, with Borsa Istanbul tumbling about 6 percent and triggering a market-wide circuit breaker after the ruling.
- The appeals court overturned a lower court finding and its decision comes against a broader legal campaign since 2024 that has led to the detention of hundreds of CHP members, including Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, charges the party denies.
- Analysts warn the ruling could deepen opposition disarray, weaken the CHP’s organizational and municipal capacity ahead of elections, and improve President Erdoğan’s relative advantage at the ballot box.