Turkish riot police enter the headquarters of the principle opposition Republican Folks’s Celebration (CHP) to evict its ousted management, after authorities ordered enforcement of a courtroom ruling eradicating the celebration’s management from the constructing, in Ankara, Turkiye, on Might 24, 2026.
| Picture Credit score: Reuters
Turkish riot police fired tear fuel and compelled their manner into the principle opposition celebration’s headquarters to evict its ousted management on Sunday (Might 24, 2026), deepening a disaster on the coronary heart of Turkiye’s democracy.
Clouds of tear fuel billowed throughout the Republican Folks’s Celebration (CHP) constructing whereas these inside shouted and threw objects on the entrance as police broke by a makeshift barricade. It was not instantly clear if anybody was damage within the unrest.
A Turkish courtroom had ousted CHP chief Ozgur Ozel on Thursday (Might 21, 2026), annulling the outcomes of the CHP congress the place he was elected in 2023, citing irregularities. On Sunday (Might 24, 2026), Ankara’s governor ordered the eviction of these contained in the headquarters.
The courtroom reinstated in Mr. Ozel’s place former CHP chairman Kemal Kilicdaroglu, who misplaced to President Tayyip Erdogan in a nationwide election that 12 months.
Analysts have mentioned they view Thursday’s (Might 21, 2026) courtroom ruling as a check of the stability between democracy and autocracy for NATO member Turkiye and that it may extend Mr. Erdogan’s 23-year rule.
“We’re beneath assault,” Mr. Ozel mentioned in a video message shared on X because the police intervention was going down, vowing to remain within the constructing and resist.
“Even when they attempt to take away us from right here, we’ll proceed our march to energy within the streets,” he mentioned, interesting to CHP supporters to point out solidarity and defend celebration places of work.
Ousted leaders name ruling a ‘judicial coup’
The ousted CHP management beneath Mr. Ozel has condemned the courtroom ruling as a “judicial coup” and Mr. Ozel had promised to struggle it by authorized appeals and to stay “day and night time” on the Ankara headquarters.
Mr. Ozel known as on Saturday (Might 23, 2026) for a brand new celebration congress to be held as quickly as doable whereas Mr. Kilicdaroglu has mentioned {that a} congress can be held at an “acceptable” time. CHP lawmakers on Saturday (Might 23, 2026) elected Mr. Ozel as chief of the celebration’s parliamentary group.
The subsequent nationwide election is about for 2028 however would must be introduced ahead if Mr. Erdogan, at age 72 and going through a time period restrict, needs to run once more. The courtroom ruling raises the possibilities of an early vote, analysts mentioned.
The federal government, in the meantime, denies criticism that it makes use of courts to focus on political rivals, saying the judiciary is impartial.
State media mentioned on Saturday (Might 23, 2026) that Turkish police had detained 13 individuals beneath an investigation into the 2023 congress. They face fees of violating the legislation on political events, accepting bribes and laundering belongings derived from crime.
Printed – Might 24, 2026 07:52 pm IST