Turkish court dismisses case challenging main opposition party's congress

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ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — 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 38th 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 could have invalidated current leader Ozgur Ozel ’s chairmanship and seen him replaced by Kilicdaroglu or another “trustee chairman.”

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.

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.