Turkish police on Sunday stormed the headquarters of the country’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), using tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse party supporters and officials gathered outside the building.
The confrontation marked the climax of a tense standoff between members of the CHP and a newly court-appointed leadership, with riot police forcing entry into the premises after hours of escalating tension.
Footage from local media showed thick clouds of tear gas filling the building’s courtyard as officers moved in, while journalists inside were escorted out. Reporters later said doors and furniture were damaged during the operation.
Political tensions within the party intensified after an appeals court overturned the November 2023 election of Özgür Özel as party leader, suspending him and the executive board.
The court ruling ordered that former leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, who led the party for 13 years without winning a national election, be reinstated.
Özel, however, had recently led the CHP to significant gains in the 2024 municipal elections, dealing a major setback to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s ruling party.
The opposition has described the court decision as politically motivated, arguing it is part of a broader effort to weaken the party through legal pressure and prosecutions against its members.
Turkey’s government maintains that its judiciary operates independently and denies any political interference in ongoing legal proceedings.
The next presidential election is scheduled for 2028, although Erdoğan retains the authority to call for an early vote. His main rival, Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, a prominent CHP figure, has been in detention since March last year while facing corruption charges.
Supporters of the opposition say the legal cases targeting CHP officials are intended to sideline key political challengers ahead of future elections.
In recent days, the majority of CHP members have rallied behind Özel, with both factions remaining inside the party headquarters in Ankara as negotiations stalled over the leadership dispute.
Reports indicate that crowds gathered outside the building amid claims from Özel that some of those present were not party supporters but were brought in to intimidate members. Police presence increased throughout the day, and authorities later approved a request from Kılıçdaroğlu’s legal team to assist in clearing the building.
President Erdoğan, who has led Turkey since 2003 in various capacities, suffered notable losses in the 2019 local elections when the CHP won major cities, including Istanbul, where İmamoğlu rose to national prominence as a key opposition figure.
