New Party: Why Turkiye’s opposition suffered a split and what that means

SaveSharefacebookxwhatsapp-strokecopylinkNew Party leader Ozgur Ozel waves to supporters in Ankara, Turkiye, on July 24, 2026 [Handout/Yeni Party press office via AFP]By Al Jazeera Staff and ReutersPublished On 28 Jul 202628 Jul 2026Turkish opposition leader Ozgur Ozel last week announced the formation of a new political party following his ousting from the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP).Along with 90 other breakaway CHP lawmakers, Ozel launched the New Party, saying the new political project marked “the hope of a new beginning” in efforts to depose longtime President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Which Middle East nations have nuclear programmes, and how were they built?list 2 of 3Wildfires in southwest Europe: What we know so farlist 3 of 3Trump on Erdogan, Netanyahu and selling fighter jets to Turkiyeend of listThe 51-year-old also said he hoped the new party would “be beneficial for our country, our nation, our party, and all of us”.Here’s what you should know:What led to New Party’s formation?Ozel’s decision to resign and later announce the creation of his own party stemmed from a May 21 court decision that annulled the CHP congress that had elected him chairman.The court cited alleged voter fraud as the reason to reinstate Ozel’s predecessor, Kemal Kilicdaroglu. However, Ozel and his supporters saw the ruling as judicial interference in the party’s affairs.Days after the court ruling, police entered the CHP headquarters to enforce the decision. Following this, Kilicdaroglu’s administration began disciplinary proceedings against those associated with Ozel.The government has rejected claims of intervention in the judiciary, describing the legal case that led to Ozel’s ouster as an internal dispute within the CHP and saying the annulment was evidence that democratic and legal institutions were functioning.What happened before?Under Ozel’s leadership, the secularist CHP in 2024 secured big city wins in local elections, including in Istanbul and Ankara, inflicting the biggest defeat on Erdogan’s AK Party in more than two decades.But criminal investigations – mostly alleging corruption in CHP‑run municipalities – have led to dozens of elected officials and party members being detained, including Ekrem Imamoglu, the mayor of Istanbul, in what the opposition has labelled a crackdown by the authorities.The government rejects this accusation and insists that Turkiye’s judiciary is independent. It says the charges and investigations are based squarely on the opposition’s involvement in corruption and other illegal activities.Imamoglu, seen as Erdogan’s main political rival, has been jailed pending trial on corruption charges, which he denies.His arrest triggered large protests. What could happen next?The AK Party currently holds the largest number of seats in the 600-strong parliament, with 277 MPs.Following the formation of the New Party and the defection of 91 lawmakers, the CHP currently has 44 MPs.Though the New Party is expected to attract most CHP voters and pose a new-look challenge for Erdogan, the broader splintering of the opposition could boost the president’s prospects of extending his 23-year reign in the NATO-member country and regional military power.While the New Party is expected to pose a new challenge for Erdogan, who has been in power for more than 20 years, some observers have suggested the wider splintering of the opposition could play into the president’s hands.Speaking to reporters ⁠after the New Party’s first meeting in the capital, Ankara, Ozel said he will back Imamoglu as presidential candidate in the next elections.Imamoglu “was not elected as the presidential candidate by a single political party, but by more ⁠than 15 million people”, he said.