Ousted CHP Leader Ozgur Ozel Quits Party, Launches New Opposition Movement
In a video posted on X, Ozel signed his resignation papers along with the founding documents for the "Yeni Parti" ("New Party"), saying that 91 former CHP lawmakers had also resigned and would join the new opposition faction.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Former chairman of Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), Ozgur Ozel, announced Friday that he has resigned from the party and is launching a new political movement aimed at challenging President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
In a video posted on X, Ozel signed his resignation papers along with the founding documents for the "Yeni Parti" ("New Party"), saying that 91 former CHP lawmakers had also resigned and would join the new opposition faction.
Ozel served as CHP chairman from November 2023 until May 2026, when he was removed from office following a controversial court ruling that deepened divisions within Turkey's largest opposition party.
His departure marks the latest chapter in a bitter internal split within the CHP, raising questions about the future of Turkey's opposition ahead of upcoming political contests.
Born in Manisa in 1974, Ozel trained as a pharmacist before entering politics. He has represented Manisa in Turkey's parliament since 2011 and served as the CHP's deputy parliamentary group leader between 2015 and 2023.
Backed by reformist figures, including Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, Ozel defeated longtime CHP leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu at the party's 38th congress in November 2023, becoming the party's chairman.
With the formation of the New Party, Ozel is seeking to unite opposition forces under a new banner as he positions himself as a direct political challenger to Erdogan.