Main political events in Türkiye in the last week.
Main political events in Türkiye in the last week.
Last week in Türkiye, at the top of the agenda, was the court’s decision to appoint a trustee to the CHP Istanbul provincial branch and developments following it.
Another topic was MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli’s call on PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan in the context of “terror-free Türkiye” process.
And in Izmir, a gun attack on a police station by a suspect allegedly linked to ISIS left two officers dead.
Trustee appointed to CHP’s Istanbul branch
The court’s decision to appoint a trustee to the CHP’s Istanbul provincial organization sparked a political storm.
The 45th Civil Court of First Instance annulled the results of the CHP Istanbul’s 38th Ordinary Provincial Congress held on October 8, 2023. Istanbul CHP chair Özgür Çelik and the provincial board were dismissed. The court instead appointed a temporary committee consisting of a prominent figure of the party, Gürsel Tekin, with four other people. On the same day with the court’s decision, the CHP issued a party expulsion notice and summoned Gürsel Tekin to present his defense.
On September 8, Tekin and the trustee committee entered the CHP Istanbul headquarters under police escort. Clashes broke out between CHP MPs, party members trying to block Tekin’s entry, and police forces. Barricades set up inside the headquarters building by CHP members were removed by police. The media reported multiple injuries. Also, dozens of people were detained during the incidents.
In response, CHP called on its members to rally at the provincial headquarters. The Istanbul governor’s office then imposed a three-day ban on demonstrations in Beşiktaş, Beyoğlu, Eyüpsultan, Kağıthane, Sarıyer, and Şişli districts.
CHP leader Özgür Özel addressed the issue during the party’s 102nd anniversary celebrations, describing the court decision as a “political coup”:
“Yesterday, all of Türkiye witnessed a coup against the founding party of the Republic and its Istanbul branch, carried out under orders from the AK Party-controlled judiciary and enforced by 5,000 police officers. If your authority comes from the judiciary under AKP’s control, you need 5,000 police officers. But if your authority comes from the people, you walk into Taksim, where 5,000 party members welcome you (…) The CHP is one, united, its only guarantee is its members and the ballot box.
Those who intend to rule Türkiye without elections are attempting to remove the ballot box through the Istanbul Provincial Directorate of the Republican People’s Party and replace it with appointees. We will not surrender. What do I trust? I trust only you. The CHP was founded by someone who had been sentenced to death when he was starting the War of Independence.”
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also commented on the matter, framing the dispute as an “internal power struggle within CHP”:
“We will not allow the fight between the old and new cadres of the main opposition to harm the country’s gains.
(….)
However much they scream and shout, they cannot stand in the way of justice. No one in Türkiye is outside the reach of the law. Decisions may be criticized, but refusing to recognize them amounts to a direct challenge to the rule of law.”
Erdoğan stressed that the government would not allow “unrest in the streets”.
Meanwhile, an unexpected meeting drew attention: former CHP chairman Hikmet Çetin met with MHP deputy leader Feti Yıldız at the parliament. Çetin said Yıldız also believed the trustee appointment was wrong:
“He told me this process wasn’t right. He said appointing a trustee wasn’t correct. After all, he is a lawyer.”
Çetin also suggested that Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, the former chairman of the CHP, might be eyeing a comeback as party leader after the ongoing juridical process. He warned: “He says nothing, doesn’t speak. I think he wants to take over the party. I believe that’s his intention. But it would be terrible for him. He would be so ashamed not to be able to look at the faces of people.”
Speculation continues in political circles that trustees could also be appointed to CHP’s central executive bodies.
Bahçeli calls on Öcalan again
MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli said PKK’s leader Abdullah Öcalan should call on the organization’s Syria and Europe branches once again. He also signaled a possible military move in Syria, warning: “Everyone should know that with Ankara and Damascus acting jointly, military intervention might become inevitable.”
Speaking to journalist Nedim Şener from “Hürriyet” newspaper, Bahçeli made remarks on the ongoing “Terror-free Türkiye” process. He said, “Terrorism has to be brought to an end, and we all have responsibilities in this regard.”
He pointed to the PKK’s recent disbandment call on October 15 and 22 as a breakthrough. Commenting on the PKK members’ weapon-burning ceremony, he said:
“Burying weapons means they can be dug up again but burning them is a point of no return. But while watching the 15 male and 15 female terrorists burning their weapons on television, I thought one thing was missing. The women in the group who had left their weapons in the cauldron to be burned and then returned to the mountains should have reunited with their families. Because if they are going to lay down their arms, of course no terrorist has anything to do in the mountains, but what will the women do in the mountains after laying down their arms? They absolutely must be reunited with their families. I explained this to the DEM delegation as well; they were very surprised and impressed.”
Referring to the work of the parliamentary commission established to oversee the process, Bahçeli said the following about Öcalan:
“In this regard, the founder of the PKK was the sole initiator and, at his call, secured the organization’s decision to disband and played a role in the laying down of arms. Therefore, I believe he will continue to contribute with his views in the process going forward. Most importantly, I believe he is sincere in his views. To date, he has not said anything to contradict this.”
Bahçeli stated that Öcalan’s February 27, 2025 “Peace and Democratic Society” message was binding for all PKK factions, including the YPG in Syria, and that “It will soon be understood whether they follow Israel’s lead or Öcalan’s call.”
Bahçeli, calling it a “terrorist state”, accused Israel of trying to divide Syria through covert operations and claimed the YPG was in its orbit. He warned that if the YPG continued undermining the “Terror-free Türkiye” process with demands ranging from autonomy to independence, a joint Ankara-Damascus military intervention would be unavoidable.
Finally, he called on Öcalan to issue another statement clarifying that his February 27 message also applied to the PKK’s Syrian and European structures: “The debate will be over once Öcalan makes it clear that his call includes those branches.”
Alleged ISIS terror attack in Izmir
Another important incident last week was the deadly attack on a police station in Izmir.
On September8, a 16-year-old suspect opened fire on the Balçova Police Station in Izmir, killing two officers and injuring three others and two more policemen.
The Izmir chief prosecutor’s office launched an investigation, while police anti-terror units carried out operations that brought the number of detainees to 27.
The assailant, identified as E.B., was captured wounded. His parents, two friends, and several others across Istanbul, Ankara, and Şanlıurfa were also taken into custody.
Authorities said the attacker was a high school student living near the police station with no prior criminal record. Izmir Governor Süleyman Elban stated that the suspect used a shotgun purchased by his father 10 years earlier. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya confirmed the suspect’s arrest, adding that the investigation was being pursued.
Reports said the attacker shouted “Allahu Akbar” during the assault and acted professionally, raising suspicions of ISIS links. His phone allegedly contained ISIS-related materials.
Family members reportedly told the press: “Lately he was visiting strange websites. He kept telling us we were infidels. He had radicalized. He was praying regularly. We wish we had reported the sites he was visiting to the police. His phone should be checked to find out who he was in contact with.”