Turkish opposition leader Ozgur Ozel announced the formation of a new political party last week after being ousted from the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP).

Along with 91 other breakaway CHP lawmakers, Ozel launched the New Party, calling it “the hope of a new beginning” in efforts to unseat longtime President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The 51-year-old also expressed hope that the new party would “be beneficial for our country, our nation, our party, and all of us.”

Ozel’s resignation and decision to form his own party stemmed from a May 21 court ruling that annulled the CHP congress that had elected him chairman, citing alleged voter fraud. The court reinstated his predecessor, Kemal Kilicdaroglu.

Ozel and his supporters viewed the ruling as judicial interference in party affairs. Days later, police entered CHP headquarters to enforce the decision, and Kilicdaroglu’s administration began disciplinary proceedings against Ozel’s associates.

The Turkish regime rejected claims of intervention in the judiciary, describing the case as an internal CHP dispute and evidence that democratic institutions were functioning.

Under Ozel, the secularist CHP secured big-city wins in 2024 local elections, including Istanbul and Ankara, dealing Erdogan’s AK Party its biggest defeat in over two decades.

However, criminal investigations—mostly alleging corruption in CHP-run municipalities—have led to dozens of detentions, including Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, whom the opposition labels a crackdown by the authorities.

The Turkish regime insists its judiciary is independent and says the charges are based on the opposition’s involvement in corruption and illegal activities.

Imamoglu, seen as Erdogan’s main rival, has been jailed pending trial on corruption charges, which he denies. His arrest triggered large protests.

The AK Party holds 277 seats in the 600-seat parliament. Following the split, the CHP now has 44 MPs.

While the New Party is expected to attract most CHP voters and pose a fresh challenge, the splintering of the opposition could boost Erdogan’s prospects of extending his 23-year rule.

After the New Party’s first meeting, Ozel said he would back Imamoglu as presidential candidate in the next elections, stating Imamoglu “was not elected by a single party, but by more than 15 million people.”

Source: www.aljazeera.com