Özgür Özel Rejects CHP İstanbul Trustee Ruling: “This Is a Coup Against Party Will”

CHP Chair Özgür Özel made a strong statement outside the CHP İstanbul Provincial Headquarters, where a court ruling had controversially appointed a trustee board.

Özel underlined that the rightful provincial chair remains Özgür Çelik, chosen by party delegates two years ago:

“The CHP’s provincial chair works in the provincial building and acts as the deputy of the party leader. My deputy, my comrade, Özgür Çelik, is at his post as İstanbul Provincial Chair. I came here before visiting our elected president and our mayor in Silivri to stand with our provincial chair on behalf of all CHP members.”

“The Decision Has No Legal Standing”

Özel firmly rejected the court ruling, calling it both legally and politically void:

“Yesterday’s decision is a usurpation of authority and has no place in the legal system. Only party members and delegates can decide who represents that province. That decision was made two years ago at the congress. Now, under the control of a chief prosecutor leading a coup process, the will of that congress is being attacked.”

He argued that recognizing the appointed trustees would mean denying law, politics, and the ballot box itself.

Party Grassroots Push Back

Özel also highlighted the strong backlash among CHP’s grassroots members:

“Since early morning, hundreds of phone calls have reached me, our provincial chair, and our executives. At notaries, CHP’s elected delegates are lining up today. Even those who did not support Özgür Çelik are standing with him in the face of this unlawfulness, signing for an extraordinary congress.”

This solidarity, he stressed, showed that the decision had united the party against judicial intervention.

Wider Political Implications

The trustee appointment has fueled a new wave of debate about judicial independence and political interference in party affairs. Legal experts and opposition voices argue that only the Supreme Election Council (YSK) has the authority to overturn party congress results, not civil courts.

For Özel, the matter is clear: the ruling is not only an attack on CHP’s autonomy but also on Türkiye’s broader democratic processes.