Turkish court throws out case seeking to oust main opposition party leader Ozel

A Turkish court on Friday dismissed a case challenging the legitimacy of the main opposition party’s 2023 internal election, ruling there was no legal basis to remove the current leadership from office.

The lawsuit had sought the annulment of the 38^th congress of the Republican People’s Party, or CHP, held in November 2023, which saw the ousting of long-time leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu, over alleged electoral fraud, including vote-buying and procedural violations.

An annulment of the 2023 congress could have unseated the CHP's current leader Ozgur Ozel.

The judge said the reason for the lawsuit had become moot because the CHP had since held a fresh vote and re-elected its leadership. “It had no basis,” he said. His decision prompted applause from spectators in the court.

‘Part of broader crackdown' on CHP

The CHP had firmly denied the accusations of fraud, insisting that the congress had been held according to procedures. Party officials have described the legal action as a politically motivated attempt by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government to undermine the opposition through judicial pressure.

Critics viewed the case as part of a broader crackdown on the CHP, which made significant gains in last year’s local elections.

Read moreTurkey detains three more mayors as part of crackdown on opposition

A lawyer for the plaintiffs admitted they were caught off guard by the ruling and pledged to appeal.

"We weren't expecting the case to be dismissed, it was a surprise," lawyer Onur Yusuf Uregen told reporters, vowing to "pursue legal action and file an appeal".

CHP-controlled municipalities have faced waves of arrests this year. Among those targeted is Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, who remains in pre-trial custody on corruption charges he denies.

Imamoglu is widely seen as a strong potential challenger to Erdogan, and his arrest in March triggered widespread protests.

Erdogan’s government maintains that Turkey’s courts are impartial and free from political interference, insisting the investigations are solely focused on corruption.

(FRANCE 24 with AP, AFP)