Political situation in Turkey

The opposition office in Ankara is stormed by police

Turkish police have stormed the office of the opposition party CHP in Ankara, reports the AP.

Tear gas and rubber bullets were reportedly used against people protesting against the operation.

A Turkish court earlier this week annulled the decision to elect Ozgur Ozel as party leader. The decision was made at a party congress in 2023, and the current leadership has refused to agree to the court's demands. Instead, they have barricaded themselves in their headquarters in the Turkish capital.

According to the AP, many analysts believe that the court proceedings against the CHP are aimed at weakening the party and neutralizing Ozel, who is seen as a possible challenger to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. 

The CHP party does not intend to give in: "We are under siege"

Turkish opposition politician Özgur Özel calls for resistance against the police who stormed the CHP headquarters in Ankara, writes Bloomberg.

In a video post on X, he says that party members refuse to leave the building.

– We are under siege.

Özgur Özel was elected party leader in 2023 but the result has been annulled by a court. The opposition believes that it is politically motivated in order to weaken the party that is challenging President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for power, writes AP.

Expert: Erdogan does not want to end up like Hungary's Viktor Orbán

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan seems to be determined not to let the opposition form. This is what political scientist and Turkey expert Paul Levin tells TT after the opposition party CHP headquarters was stormed by police on Sunday.

He says that authoritarian regimes can take control of the media and try to manipulate the system, but that such leaders can still lose open elections. Levin draws a parallel to Hungary and President Viktor Orbán, who was defeated in the spring elections.

– I think Erdogan has decided that he cannot allow the same thing.

The CHP elected Özgur Özel as party leader three years ago, but the election was annulled by a court. Critics say that this and other legal proceedings are aimed at weakening the CHP ahead of the next elections.