Ozgur Ozel Launches New Party Following CHP Crackdown

A tremor has hit the Turkish political landscape as opposition leader Ozgur Ozel, flanked by 90 lawmakers, officially registered the New Party on Friday. This splinter movement emerges directly from the wreckage of the Republican People's Party, which recently faced a court-ordered annulment of its congress and Ozel’s removal from leadership.

Editorial·July 24, 2026·reads: 645

Ozgur Ozel Launches New Party Following CHP Crackdown

The Supreme Court of Appeals confirmed the new faction’s legal status, positioning it as the primary challenger to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s AK Party. By absorbing disenfranchised voters from the fractured CHP, Ozel hopes to consolidate a base capable of ending Erdogan’s 23-year tenure. However, political analysts warn that this division within the opposition ranks may inadvertently solidify the incumbent's grip on power rather than dismantle it.

Ozel has already signaled a strategic pivot by endorsing jailed Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu as a future presidential contender. Imamoglu currently faces corruption charges, which he maintains are politically motivated. To bolster this campaign, Ozel is coordinating with Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavas, aiming to unify disparate factions under the New Party banner to mount a coherent defense against current government pressure.