A court hearing into alleged graft that could upend the leadership of Turkey’s main opposition CHP party opened in Ankara on Monday, June 30th.
The hearing could render null and void the result of a leadership primary within the Republican People’s Party (CHP) in November 2023 on grounds of alleged fraud—thereby overturning the election of leader Özgür Özel.
Critics say the case is a politically-motivated attempt to undermine the party whose popularity has grown since it led a wave of street protests in March in Turkey’s worst unrest in more than a decade.
In February, the Ankara public prosecutor opened an investigation into allegations of vote buying at the congress, which resulted in Özel defeating longtime incumbent Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu.
CHP has denied the allegations.
The outcome could see several CHP figures—including jailed Istanbul mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu—facing up to three years in prison and a political ban for graft.
