ISTANBUL, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- Türkiye's main opposition, the Republican People's Party (CHP), on Wednesday re-elected its ousted Istanbul head, Ozgur Celik, at a special congress held despite a court ruling that had sought to block the gathering, deepening a standoff between the party and the judiciary.
The vote is the latest flashpoint in what the CHP describes as a campaign by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government to undermine the party. The government denies the allegations, saying the courts are independent and that legal actions are aimed at rooting out corruption within the opposition.
On Sept. 2, an Istanbul court annulled the CHP's 2023 provincial congress, removing Celik and his board over alleged irregularities, including claims that cash payments influenced delegate votes -- allegations the CHP rejects. A trustee, former party deputy Gursel Tekin, was appointed to run the powerful Istanbul branch; Tekin had been expelled from the CHP a day before.
On Wednesday, as the emergency congress began, an Istanbul court issued a new interim injunction to halt the proceedings. Türkiye's Supreme Election Board (YSK), the country's top electoral authority, overruled the injunction, allowing the congress to proceed and Celik to be re-elected as the sole candidate.
"With this congress, the court ruling has been nullified," Celik told reporters after the vote. "I am now waiting for the Supreme Election Board to issue my mandate."
The political turmoil briefly rattled financial markets. Following the initial court order to halt the congress, Istanbul's BIST 100 stock index fell more than 1 percent, while the banking index dropped around 3 percent. Both recovered after the YSK's ruling.
The CHP, which controls major cities including Istanbul and Ankara, accuses Erdogan's government of politicizing the judiciary to weaken electoral rivals. The government says the legal actions are legitimate anti-corruption measures. ■
