An Ankara regional appeals court has ruled that former Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu and his administration should temporarily retake control of the party after annulling the main opposition party’s 38th Ordinary Congress held in November 2023.
The 36th Civil Chamber of the Ankara Regional Court of Justice (BAM) ruled that the 4-5 November 2023 congress, at which Ozgur Ozel was elected chairman, was invalid due to “absolute nullity”, effectively cancelling the congress retroactively from the date it was held.
The court also ordered Ozel, members of the Central Executive Board, Party Assembly and High Disciplinary Board elected at the congress, to be temporarily removed from office until the ruling becomes final.
In their place, Kilicdaroglu and the party bodies that were in office before the November 2023 congress were ordered to resume their duties on an interim basis pending a final judicial decision.
The ruling came after the appeals chamber completed its review of a decision issued by Ankara’s 42nd Civil Court of First Instance on October 24, 2025 in a lawsuit seeking the annulment of the CHP congress.
The chamber overturned the lower court’s decision that there was “no need to issue a ruling because the case had become moot” and instead accepted appeals filed in relation to the main case and merged files.
The court further ruled that all ordinary and extraordinary congresses held within the party after the annulled November 2023 congress, along with all decisions adopted at those gatherings, were legally void.
It also annulled the CHP Istanbul Provincial Congress held on 8 October 2023 and all decisions taken there, citing the same grounds.
According to the ruling, precautionary measures ordering the temporary removal of Ozel and the reinstatement of Kilicdaroglu’s administration will be sent to the Supreme Election Council, Ankara Provincial Election Board, Cankaya 4th District Election Board and the Ankara Governor’s Office for implementation.
The decision was adopted unanimously and can be appealed before the Court of Cassation within two weeks.
