The Guardian view on Erdogan's tightening grip on Turkey: the next election is already being decided | Editorial

An appeals court annulled the 2023 leadership contest of Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), removing Ozgur Ozel and reinstating Kemal Kilicdaroglu. The decision followed a period in which many CHP officials and politicians faced arrests, while Human Rights Watch reported that the justice system has been used against the opposition. A mass corruption trial began in March, with Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu among the defendants; he was arrested after being chosen as the CHP’s presidential candidate and could face more than 1,900 years if convicted. The ruling was widely viewed as an effort to weaken and divide the CHP. Meanwhile, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has pursued increasingly authoritarian policies, including constitutional changes to a centralized presidential system and actions against civil society and liberal institutions.

"On Thursday, an appeals court removed the head of the opposition Republican People's party (CHP), Ozgur Ozel, by annulling its 2023 leadership contest. The 51-year-old was credited with reviving the CHP, which trounced the ruling Justice and Development party in 2024's local elections. He was also one of the few senior figures not caught in a sweeping crackdown that has led to hundreds of CHP officials and politicians being arrested."

"Human Rights Watch says that the justice system has been weaponised against the opposition. A mass corruption trial opened in March, with defendants including the Istanbul mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu, who was arrested last year on the day that he was chosen as the CHP's presidential candidate. He could face a sentence of more than 1,900 years if convicted on all counts."

"Thursday's decision was widely seen as an effort to further subdue and split the CHP, which called it a judicial coup. Mr Ozel's unpopular predecessor Kemal Klcdaroglu who lost the 2023 election to Recep Tayyip Erdogan despite a surge in opposition to the president has been reinstated."

"Mr Erdogan has pursued an increasingly authoritarian path since coming to power in 2003, notably following the Gezi Park protests in 2013 and especially the coup attempt 10 years ago. He pushed through constitutional changes that replaced the parliamentary system with a highly centralised presidential one. His acolytes control the media. Civil society has been pummelled. On Thursday, he signed a decree closing a private university known as a centre of liberal views."

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