Arrested mayors, ousted leaders, water cannon: Turkey's opposition fights to survive

Turkey's largest opposition party, the CHP, is in open turmoil after an Ankara court invalidated the presidency of Özgür Özel on Thursday, citing alleged irregularities at the party's November 2023 congress, and reinstating former leader Kemal Kiliçdaroglu in his place.

Özel has refused to accept the ruling, calling it "absolutely null and void," and took his fight to Izmir on Tuesday, where police deployed water cannon and riot units to block a rally of his supporters outside CHP headquarters. He held the gathering regardless.

"This is not an internal CHP matter," he declared before the crowd. "This is a matter between the people and Erdogan. They are trying to stop a party that is marching toward power."

The timing is politically charged. The CHP, founded by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk himself, had been riding a wave of momentum: a sweeping local election victory in 2024, control of Istanbul and most major cities, and a popular presidential candidate in Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu. 

That momentum hit a wall when Imamoglu was arrested in March 2025 on corruption charges, which he denies, while facing a staggering 142 counts that could theoretically land him 2,430 years in prison.

Now, with its leader ousted by a court, its presidential candidate behind bars and police breaking up its rallies, the CHP faces an existential test. Özel is calling for an emergency congress this Sunday, followed by fresh leadership elections within two weeks.

"No one can lead this party without the approval of the people," he said. His message to wavering MPs: stay put, and keep fighting.