Turkish police tried to block an opposition rally on Tuesday in Izmir, the country's third city (west) where the leader of the CHP party, dismissed by the courts, denounced the maneuvers of those in power.
“It’s about stopping a party which is moving towards power” launched Ãzgür Ãzel to his supporters.
“This is not an internal matter of the CHP, nor a matter between me and the CHP. It is a matter between the people and (Turkish President Recep) Tayyip Erdogan,” he denounced.
An Ankara court on Thursday invalidated the presidency of Mr. Ãzel at the head of the first opposition party to President Erdogan, the CHP (social democrat) founded by the father of the Turkish republic, Mustafa Kemal, arguing "irregularities" during of the party congress in November 2023.
Justice appointed the former president of the party, Kemal Kiliçdaroglu, in his place, which Mr. Ãzel's supporters dispute.
Since then, the party has been in chaos.
The square where the rally was to be held, in front of the party's premises in Izmir, was surrounded by anti-riot forces who prevented the demonstrators from gaining access and triggered water cannons to disperse those already present, AFP noted.
The images were also broadcast live by private television channels.
Mr. Ãzel, for whom the court's decision is "absolutely null and void", however maintained the rally.
He demanded the holding of a party congress "from Sunday", immediately after the current holidays of the Eid-el-Kebir holidays, then elections "for the presidency of the party one to two weeks after the holidays".
“No one can lead this party if they have not received the approval of the people,” he insisted. “Put a ballot box in front of the two million CHP voters: I will kiss the hands of whoever wins against me,” he promised.
On Sunday, the police brutally intervened at the CHP headquarters in Ankara to prevent him from accessing the premises with his team.
Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftgi has since taken care to specify that this charge, using tear gas and rubber bullets, had been launched “at the request” of Mr. Kiliédaroglu.
The latter, 77 years old, was ousted by his party after his defeat in May 2023 in the presidential election against outgoing President Erdogan.
The following year, the party won a large victory in local elections and won or retained the country's main cities, including Istanbul.
The popular and charismatic mayor of the megacity, Ekrem Imamoglu, was then arrested in March 2025, accused of "corruption" - which he denies - while the CHP had just nominated him as candidate for the next presidential election, scheduled for 2028.
Targeted by 142 charges, he faces 2,430 years in prison.
Ãzgür özel indicated that he had asked the elected representatives of the CHP to stay in place and not to leave the
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