The Republican People’s Party (CHP) on Monday descended further into polarization and chaos as ousted chair Özgür Özel sought a new path out of the turmoil.
Özel was removed from the office last month by a court ruling in a lawsuit, where his associates were accused of buying votes for him in a 2023 intraparty election.
The court reinstated his predecessor, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, as chairman and media reports suggested he is determined to clear the name of the party of corruption allegations.
A report by the Turkish-language newspaper Sabah said Kılıçdaroğlu will unveil a new administrative committee of the party this week as part of a “purge” or “cleansing,” something the veteran politician had repeatedly pledged.
Kılıçdaroğlu’s supporters advocate the establishment of an “ethics board,” comprising experts, that will tackle the situation of CHP members implicated in corruption cases and will look into expenditures of the Özel administration since they took office in 2023. Any irregularities will be reported to the authorities. The board will likely refer corruption suspects to the board for suspension of their memberships.
