CHP removes dozens of provincial leaders in sweeping internal purge

The Republican People's Party (CHP) has launched a large‑scale internal purge after its central board (MYK) approved the dismissal of 26 provincial chairmen and disciplinary action against 11 others. New appointments were announced for six provinces: Batman (Yılmaz Özkanat), Çanakkale (Koray Akkılıç), Mardin (Mahmut Duyan), Osmaniye (Rıza Tekerek), Niğde (Tevfik Caymaz) and Tunceli (Kemal Özcan).

Party leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu and deputy Özgür Özel indicated that the operation will extend to district (ilçe) chairs who do not recognise the central authority, describing it as an “arination” or “purge”. In Kırıkkale, the former provincial chairman Onur Yüksel Bozdağ was removed, with three senior figures—Mustafa Demirel, Gazi Eroğlu and former chairman Ziya Kavlak—identified as possible successors.

The moves coincide with intense internal debate over a potential new party, legal actions against Özel and the prospect of an extraordinary congress, underscoring a deepening power struggle within Turkey’s main opposition party.