The move to tie the CHP to the Palace
The move to tie the CHP to the Palace
Kılıçdaroğlu’s lawyer, Celal Çelik, applied to the police because the Özgür Özel administration, elected by the delegates, did not leave the headquarters. Submitting two separate petitions to the Ankara Provincial Police Department on 23 and 24 May, Çelik requested that “the necessary actions be taken”. Upon the application, the Ankara Governorate announced that instructions had been given to the Ankara Police Department for the handover of the CHP Headquarters.
Some police officers were seen carrying tools used for cutting iron. Party members holding a vigil at the Headquarters also took various precautions against a possible intervention. Party buses were placed in front of the entrance gates of the party. The entrance gates were closed with benches and concrete flower pots, and restrictions were imposed on transitions between floors. The benches placed at the doors were locked to each other with plastic handcuffs.
In addition, doors at different points of the building were closed with concrete flower pots, and accordion barricades were placed inside the building.
The police intervened against citizens, including more than 50 CHP Provincial chairs, who came to support the Headquarters. CHP Provincial Chairs linked arms and tried to cross the barricades. The provincial chairs and the citizens accompanying them were subjected to the police intervention.
POLICE ENTERED THE BUILDING
A CHP delegation, including CHP Group Deputy Chairman Murat Emir and CHP Deputy Chairman Suat Özçağdaş, met with the Minister of Interior Mustafa Çiftçi. Meanwhile, the police entered the building to evacuate the CHP Headquarters. The garage door in the garden of the CHP Headquarters was broken down by police teams. Police teams intervened against the party members with tear gas and plastic bullets. CHP Chairman Özel shared a video post on his social media account during the minutes when the police entered the CHP Headquarters. Özgür Özel said: “They can lift it, tear it down, throw it into the street. But we did not make the party the first party by sitting in this building anyway. Elections are not won by sitting in this building. Someone knows this best.”
WE DID WHAT SUITED US
Following the intervention, Özel, who left the building to march to the Parliament, made another statement. This time Özel spoke as follows: “Those who showed up at the door of the father’s home at 07.00 in the morning with whatever criminal types there are in Ankara, even though we had told them ‘declare a congress as soon as possible so that this problem ends and let’s discuss this at 12.00 noon’, did what suited them, and the 80-year-old resisting here and the 16-year-old populist high school youth also did what suited them. We said don’t do it. We said do not be a part, the subject, of the plan to hand over the party to the AKP due to your personal ambitions. They did not listen. They paraded liars and slanderers from court to court. They chased nullity. They begged the AK Party’s judge for the authority that the delegate did not give. From now on, call a spade a spade. Today, we also did what suited us.”
Following his statement in front of the CHP Headquarters, Özel marched to the Parliament with those accompanying him under heavy rain. While CHP Chairman Özel was supported during the march, Kılıçdaroğlu was protested against. Climbing onto a TOMA (Riot control vehicle) during the march, Özgür Özel greeted the crowd and chanted the slogan “There is no salvation alone, either all together or none of us”. In his statement, Özel said, “An office room is left behind, we left it to its enthusiast. But another one is in Parliament. From now on, the real headquarters of the CHP is the group room in the TBMM (Grand National Assembly of Turkey).”
YOU ARE ALL IN THE SAME PLACE
The CHP’s Presidential Candidate and Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, Ekrem İmamoğlu, made a statement protesting against Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu.
In the statement shared from the Presidential Candidate Office account, İmamoğlu said, “Putschist, head of the judicial branches, puppet and internal malevolent trustee! You are all in the same place.” İmamoğlu used the expressions, “I stand by my comrade, my Chairman Özgür Özel, together we will continue the struggle with perseverance and determination.” The imprisoned Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality President and CHP’s presidential candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu, in the statement he made via the social media account of the Presidential Candidate Office, stated: “We are aware of all of the unlawful manoeuvres of the putschists, the snap election preparations, and the efforts to occupy the main opposition. Those who make the nation suffer all kinds of pain just not to leave their seats have transitioned to the final stage of their rule of fear with these operations. We have never lost an election and we became the first party of Turkey with the will of the nation. I stand by my comrade, my Chairman Özgür Özel, together we will continue the struggle with perseverance and determination.”
Mayor of Ankara Metropolitan Municipality, Mansur Yavaş, made a written statement and announced that the CHP must go to a congress within 45 days. Saying, “From here; I am making an open call to everyone who believes in the rule of law, democracy and the will of the nation,” Yavaş stated the following: “The will elected by our congress delegates is evident. This being the case, no one can be expected to accept this picture.”
Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, on the other hand, made the statement: “I request the judicial officials, police personnel and all public officials trying to take action in accordance with the decision given by the 36th Civil Chamber of the Ankara Regional Court of Appeal to comply with the requirements of the court decision regarding all organisations of the Republican People’s Party.” Kılıçdaroğlu used the expressions, “I also request that no action or behaviour contrary to the organisational culture and discipline be engaged in. Necessary measures will be taken regarding those acting contrary to the instruction.”
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MAFIA-LIKE FIGURES BROUGHT IN
On social media, the identities of the individuals arriving as Kılıçdaroğlu supporters became a subject of debate. Social media posts supporting President Erdoğan, made by an individual attempting to enter the CHP to support Kılıçdaroğlu, came to the fore. Furthermore, posts were shared questioning why this same individual had come to the front of the Headquarters despite previously insulting Kılıçdaroğlu on his social media account. This individual also has a photograph sitting at the same table with Sedat Şahin, the leader of the mafia group known as the Şahinler (The Hawks). Among the allegations is that Ramazan Kubat, who previously served as an administrator at the MHP Ankara Provincial Branch, organised these individuals to come to the CHP Headquarters.
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4 MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT
It has been alleged that Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, who was brought to the CHP Chairmanship following the absolute nullity decision, presented a condition during his second meeting with Özgür Özel requiring the expulsion of 4 MPs in order to proceed to an extraordinary congress. According to a report featured on Halktv.com.tr, it was claimed that Kılıçdaroğlu presented a critical condition for heading to a congress during his meeting with Özel. On the other hand, it was stated that Özel rejected Kılıçdaroğlu’s demand. The MPs whose expulsions were reportedly requested are alleged to be CHP Group Deputy Chairman Ali Mahir Başarır, CHP Deputy Chairman Burhanettin Bulut, Malatya MP Veli Ağbaba, and Ankara MP Umut Akdoğan.
REACTIONS SPILL OVER INTO THE STREETS
Following the incidents, many CHP provincial organisations staged protest demonstrations in various cities during the evening hours. In a post shared on social media, CHP Istanbul Provincial Chairman Özgür Çelik stated, “The CHP is the people; whatever the people say goes. Istanbul is in the squares across three regions! We are in the squares to protect the will of the people, democracy, and our future. All our people are invited.” Those participating in the demonstrations held in Kadıköy, Şişhane, and Bahçelievler in Istanbul voiced their reactions. Alongside Istanbul and Ankara, the absolute nullity decision and the police intervention targeting the CHP Headquarters were also protested against in İzmir, Denizli, Mersin, Adana, and many other provinces. Citizens gathering in squares and streets chanted the slogans, “There is no salvation alone, either all together or none of us.” Slogans and demonstrations were also supported by political parties, democratic mass organisations, and trade unions, including SOL Party (Left Party), TİP (Workers’ Party of Turkey), EMEP (Labour Party), KESK (Confederation of Public Employees’ Trade Unions), TMMOB (Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects), DİSK (Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey), and TTB (Turkish Medical Association).
SUPPORT FOR ÖZGÜR ÖZEL
CHP provincial mayors voiced their support for CHP Chairman Özgür Özel, releasing a statement that read, “With our belief in intra-party democracy, our march to power will continue on its path without losing momentum through the extraordinary congress to be held within 45 days.” CHP metropolitan mayors had also issued a joint statement the previous day following their meeting with CHP Chairman Özgür Özel. The statement noted, “Our Party, which founded the Republic, has successfully emerged from the difficult periods experienced throughout the history of democracy in our country until today. Our Party will also emerge from the current process we are in by growing stronger in unity and solidarity.”
THEY DISTRIBUTED CHOCOLATES!
It was stated that Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu’s team went up to the 12th floor of the CHP Headquarters and removed the door sign bearing the name of Özgür Özel inside the Chairman’s official office. At the same time, it was reported that photographs belonging to Özgür Özel inside the headquarters were also taken down. Kılıçdaroğlu’s team distributed chocolates inside the private secretariat office at the CHP Headquarters.
WE ABSOLUTELY DO NOT ACCEPT THIS
Reacting to the raid conducted by the police on the CHP Headquarters, the DEM Party made a statement saying, “We do not accept the forced entry of the police into the CHP Headquarters by order of the Governorship, resulting in the evacuation of party administrators, MPs, and citizens.” In the statement published under the signatures of the Co-Chairs, it was stated, “Every tremor experienced in the main opposition party directly affects Turkey’s political order. In this process, we are ready to assume every kind of responsibility that falls upon us.” The statement noted the following: “While Turkey’s most fundamental need is the strengthening of democratic principles of law, the cultivation of social peace, and the expansion of the arena of democratic politics, insisting on these oppressive methods is unacceptable.”
REACTION FROM NAMES CLOSE TO KILIÇDAROĞLU
CHP Elazığ MP Gürsel Erol, CHP Ankara MP Semra Dinçer, CHP Denizli MP Gülizar Biçer Karaca, CHP Kahramanmaraş MP Ali Öztunç, and CHP Istanbul MP Engin Altay issued a joint statement, reacting to the events that unfolded in front of the CHP Headquarters. Emphasising that entering the party building by means of the police was unacceptable, the MPs noted that an extraordinary congress must be held as soon as possible. The joint statement of the 5 MPs is as follows: “What transpired today in front of the CHP Headquarters is not a picture that any party member, any democrat, or the public can accept. It is not right, and it should not happen, to enter the Republican People’s Party Headquarters by means of the police by writing a letter to the Ankara Security Directorate. Pitches party members against one another; this deeply wounds both the party conscience and the public conscience. What needs to be done to prevent this fracture and division from growing further is to head to a congress at the earliest possible opportunity.”
Note: This article is translated from the original article titled CHP’yi Saray’a bağlama hamlesi, published in BirGün newspaper on May 25, 2026.
