Two rival leaders of the main opposition party announced in TürkiyeOne of them was elected and the other was appointed by a controversial judicial decision. They intend to hold two separate meetings of party representatives today, Tuesday, in an impasse that may exacerbate the crisis between the president’s opponents. Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Last month, a Turkish court annulled the 2023 Republican People’s Party congress in which he was elected Ozgur Ozal She became head of the party, pointing out that there were irregularities, and was returned to the position Kemal Kilicdaroglu The former leader who lost to Erdogan in the 2023 presidential elections, in a move that affected financial markets and was described by critics as politically motivated.
The two leaders announced earlier their intention to deliver a speech during the party’s weekly meeting in Parliament.
Representatives supporting Ozal began gathering in the parliament hall hours before the scheduled meeting at 10:30 GMT, and Kilicdaroglu later announced a plan to hold a separate meeting at the party headquarters in the capital, Ankara.
Supporters of Ozgur Ozal. (AFP)
Kilicdaroglu said in a post on “X”, setting 11:00 GMT as the date for his meeting: “I call on all members of our party and every citizen whose heart beats for this country to join us.”
These divisions within the opposition could enhance Erdogan’s chances of extending his rule, which has exceeded two decades in Türkiye, a member of the… NATOin elections scheduled for 2028, but analysts believe that it is likely to be presented if the government seeks to benefit from the state of division within the opposition party.
Kilicdaroglu’s return and his latest criticism of the party angered his opponents.
This meeting may represent one of the last attempts by Ozal and his elected team to maintain control of the country Republican People’s PartyThe party of the founder of the modern Turkish Republic, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.
The party faces the secular centrist party, which is roughly equal in opinion polls with Justice and Development Party The ruling party with Islamic roots, led by Erdogan, launched an unprecedented judicial campaign since 2024, during which hundreds of its members and elected officials were arrested against the backdrop of corruption accusations that the party denies.
