At an Extraordinary General Assembly of the Republican People's Party (CHP) held in Ankara on Sunday, the incumbent chairman Özgür Özel was re-elected as leader for the second time after receiving 1171 of 1276 votes.
Antalya Muratpaşa Mayor Ümit Uysal announced the withdrawal of his candidacy, while former CHP Istanbul Provincial Chairman Berhan Şimşek failed to garner enough votes.
The assembly took place amidst one of the fiercest crackdowns against the opposition in Turkey, which saw the arrest of top-ranking CHP figures such as the party's presidential nominee, Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu.
The opposition has condemned the wave of arrests amid ongoing protests across the country and has referred to 19 March, when İmamoğlu was arrested and sent to the notorious Silivri prison, as a "judicial coup" against the opposition.
The government, on the other hand, insists that courts in Turkey operate "independently and in an unbiased manner."
In a speech to CHP members prior to Sunday's vote, Özel said the opposition was "ready to save Turkey from you," in reference to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Erdoğan's 'sham' remarks and following investigation
On 10 February, the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office launched an investigation into the CHP congress that was held on 4-5 November 2023. The prosecutor is investigating allegations that CHP delegates were "given money, phones and houses in exchange for votes," and will question party officials who took part in the 38th Ordinary Congress of the CHP, where Özgür Özel was elected as CHP Chairman.
A week before the investigation, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said in a speech at his party's Manisa Provincial Congress, "They blamed Mr. Kemal (Kılıçdaroğlu, former CHP chair) for the elections and expelled him through a shady congress."
Kılıçdaroğlu, who served as CHP chairman between 2010 and 2023, confirmed that he would not be a candidate for the upcoming extraordinary congress.
On the other hand, CHP Istanbul Deputy Oğuz Kaan Salıcı announced on his X account that they would come out with another list against Özel's list at the congress.
"We will organise a 'Balance and Solidarity List' in the Party Assembly elections at the 21st Extraordinary Congress of the Republican People's Party. We say 'balance' because we want that kinf country; we want such a party," Salıcı said, adding that "we set out with this belief, I invite the honourable delegates of the Republican People's Party to support the Balance and Solidarity List."
Özel announced last month that the extraordinary assembly was set in order to "prevent attempts to appoint a trustee to the CHP," and called on delegates to cast their ballot in today's vote.
