Turkish Court Ousts CHP Istanbul Leadership Over Voting Irregularities

A Turkish court has ousted the Istanbul provincial head and executive board of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) due to alleged irregularities and cash payments influencing delegate votes at the 2023 Istanbul provincial congress. Former CHP deputy chair Gursel Tekin was appointed as interim provincial head following the ruling, which has negatively impacted Turkish financial markets, with the BIST 100 index falling by around 5.4% and a sharp decline in banking stocks. This ruling is part of a broader crackdown on the CHP, with at least 15 mayors, including Istanbul's Ekrem Imamoglu, detained or suspended on corruption charges. The Istanbul court's decision could influence another case in Ankara challenging the validity of the party's 38th Ordinary Congress, where Özgür Özel replaced longtime leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu; if overturned, it could unseat Özel and reinstall Kılıçdaroğlu. Critics aligned with the CHP argue that these legal challenges reflect an attempt by President Tayyip Erdogan's government to use the judiciary to weaken the opposition's leadership. The ongoing political turmoil highlights escalating tensions between Erdogan's administration and Turkey's main opposition ahead of future elections.