Major political crisis in Türkiye: the CHP opposition is torn apart by two rival factions

The internal crisis within Turkey's main opposition party, the Republican People's Party (CHP), worsened on Tuesday as two rival leaders held simultaneous meetings with members of parliament and supporters in Ankara. This situation illustrates a deep division within the main political force opposing President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

On one side, the elected leader Özgür Özel rallied his supporters in Parliament, calling on lawmakers to resist what he described as an attempt at political ouster. On the other, his rival Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, the former head of the now-contested party, also held a parallel meeting with CHP lawmakers.

The tensions between the two camps are part of a protracted internal conflict over the party leadership. Özel's supporters denounce a court decision they consider "politicized" and which they believe has allowed his leadership to be challenged, while his opponents believe, on the contrary, that the current leadership is illegitimate.

Since 2024, the CHP has faced an unprecedented series of legal and political pressures, according to its officials. These developments have exacerbated internal divisions and fueled accusations of interference in the country's political life.

The current situation places the main opposition party in a precarious position as it tries to maintain its unity in the face of the ruling power. The competing meetings of the two rival figures illustrate the extent of the internal governance crisis.

In this context, opposition critics believe that these divisions benefit President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan by weakening the CHP's ability to present a coherent political alternative on a national scale.