site.btaTurkiye's Opposition CHP Leader Ozel Re-elected at Extraordinary Congress

Ozgur Ozel, leader of Turkiye's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), was re-elected at an extraordinary congress held in Ankara on Sunday. Ozel, the sole candidate, won 835 out of 917 votes, the Hurriyet daily reported. Members of the CHP Central Committee were also elected.

Around 300 delegates from Istanbul did not vote after a court dismissed the provincial leadership and appointed a trustee.

This is the second extraordinary CHP congress this year, following a similar meeting in April. It was scheduled on September 6, ahead of a court case seeking the annulment of the regular congress held on November 4-5, 2023, at which Ozel was elected party chair, defeating former leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu. 

The ruling in the case, initially heard this last September 15, was postponed to October 24

Ozel's re-election, along with that of the CHP's central leadership, is seen as a third vote of confidence from within the party, strengthening the leadership's position ahead of the court ruling, the Karar daily reported.

In his speech to the extraordinary congress, Ozel announced that the CHP will hold a rally in Istanbul on September 25 in solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza.