Politics & Governance
Ozgur Ozel forms new Turkish opposition party after quitting CHP
Ozgur Ozel resigned from Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party on 24 July with 90 other lawmakers and set up Yeni Parti, or New Party, to oppose President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The move came two months after a court removed Ozel as CHP leader and reinstated his defeated predecessor, Kemal Kilicdaroglu. The court annulled the CHP's 2023 leadership election because of vote-buying allegations. Ozel appealed, but the source said procedural delays meant the papers reached the Supreme Court only hours before it began its summer recess, prompting him to create a new party.
A video posted on X showed Ozel signing both his CHP resignation papers and Yeni Parti's founding documents while seated beside a large Turkish flag. Two lawmakers later delivered the paperwork to the interior ministry.
With 91 lawmakers, Yeni Parti will be the second largest grouping in Turkey's 600-seat parliament after Erdogan's Justice and Development Party, or AKP, which has 277 seats. The CHP had 135 lawmakers before the resignations. It now has 44, placing it fourth behind the pro-Kurdish opposition Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party, or DEM, which has 56 seats.
Ozel called it a critical day for Turkish politics and said the new party would fight for democracy. Speaking outside a mosque in Ankara's historical centre after Friday prayers, he said the final word belonged to the nation and not to palaces or one man, in a reference to Erdogan. Asked about leaving a party he had belonged to since 2009, Ozel said it was not easy but that some difficulties had to be overcome before taking the right path.
Lawmaker Murat Emir said after leaving the interior ministry that he hoped the day would be an important milestone in Turkish political history. He said the party would work to build what he called a more just Turkey.
The Socialist International welcomed the new party, describing it as a renewed commitment to democracy, political pluralism and the rule of law.
In his last speech to CHP lawmakers on Tuesday, Ozel said Turkey was at a historic crossroads and used a Turkish idiom about taking on a difficult and risky burden for the country's sake. Ozel had become CHP leader during a party crisis. Within five months, the party won a large victory in the March 2024 local elections over Erdogan's AKP.
Since then, the CHP has faced growing legal pressure. Hundreds of officials have been arrested on graft allegations, including Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu. At least 27 CHP mayors are currently behind bars, according to the source.
The founding date was chosen because 24 July marks the signing of the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne, which established the borders of modern Turkey. About six weeks after that treaty, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk set up the CHP, and on 29 October proclaimed the Republic of Turkey and became its first president.
Update
Two lawmakers delivered the paperwork to Turkey's interior ministry.
Yeni Parti will have 91 lawmakers, making it the second largest grouping in the 600-seat parliament after the AKP.
The CHP falls from 135 lawmakers to 44 and becomes the fourth largest parliamentary group.
Ozel spoke after Friday prayers in Ankara and said the final word belongs to the nation.
Lawmaker Murat Emir said the new party would work for what he called a more just Turkey.
The Socialist International welcomed the new party as a renewed commitment to democracy, pluralism and the rule of law.
The source gives more detail on the court ruling that removed Ozel, the appeal delay, CHP legal pressure, arrests of CHP officials and the choice of 24 July as the founding date.
Source note: AFP news report published on 24 July 2026 at 17:30:52 UTC.
Update
Ozel signed both CHP resignation papers and founding documents for Yeni Parti in a video posted on X.
Two lawmakers delivered the paperwork to the interior ministry.
Yeni Parti would have 91 lawmakers, making it the second largest grouping in Turkey's 600-seat parliament after the AKP, which has 277 seats.
The CHP would fall to 44 lawmakers and fourth place after the DEM party, which has 56 seats.
Ozel was removed as CHP leader on May 21 after a court reinstated Kemal Kilicdaroglu.
The Ankara court annulled the CHP's 2023 leadership election because of vote-buying allegations.
Ozel's appeal was delayed and reached the Supreme Court shortly before its summer recess.
The founding date was chosen because it marks the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne.
Source note: AFP news report published on 24 July 2026 at 12:10:01 UTC.
Update
Two founding lawmakers delivered the new party paperwork to the interior ministry, with formalities expected to be completed within hours.
Yeni Parti's 91 lawmakers would make it the second-largest group in Turkey's 600-seat parliament, while the CHP would fall to 44 seats and fourth place.
Murat Emir said the party was formed because of public anger over Ozel's removal and said it would seek a more just Turkey.
Ozel's appeal was delayed procedurally and reached the Supreme Court only shortly before the summer recess.
The Ankara court annulled the CHP's 2023 leadership election over vote-buying allegations.
The source adds context on arrests of CHP officials and mayors, including Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, and says at least 27 CHP mayors are in jail.
July 24 was chosen as Yeni Parti's founding date because it marks the signing of the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne.
Source note: AFP news report published on 24 July 2026 at 11:15:22 UTC.
Update
Ozel resigned from the CHP with 90 other lawmakers, giving Yeni Parti 91 lawmakers and making it Turkey's second largest party, according to the source.
The source gives details of the May court ruling that removed Ozel as CHP leader on grounds of alleged vote buying and returned Kemal Kilicdaroglu to the post.
The source adds background on Ozel's role in protests after Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu was jailed in March 2025.
The source adds details of legal cases against Ozel and wider judicial action against CHP mayors and officials.
The source adds biographical details about Ozel's birth, education, pharmacy career and political rise.
Source note: AFP news report published on 24 July 2026 at 09:54:20 UTC.
Update
Ozel and 90 other lawmakers resigned from the CHP, giving the new party 91 lawmakers.
The source says Yeni Parti would become the second largest party in Turkey's 600-seat parliament after the AKP, which has 277 seats.
The CHP would fall from 135 lawmakers to 44, placing it fourth behind the pro-Kurdish opposition DEM party, which has 56 seats.
The paperwork to establish Yeni Parti was expected to be presented at the interior ministry around noon.
The source says Ozel's appeal was delayed procedurally and did not reach the Supreme Court until hours before the summer recess.
The source adds details of the Ankara court ruling annulling the CHP's 2023 leadership election over vote-buying allegations.
The source includes Ozel's Tuesday comments to CHP lawmakers and context on arrests of CHP officials and mayors.
Source note: AFP news report published on 24 July 2026 at 08:52:47 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
The source describes the annulment of the CHP leadership election as widely seen as a political manoeuvre, but the item does not identify specific parties making that assessment.
Source
AFP news report published on .