Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu Resumes CHP Leadership After Court Orders ‘Absolute Nullity’

Following a Turkish court’s “mutlak butlan” (absolute nullity) decision that annulled the previous CHP congress, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu reclaimed the party’s general chairmanship. He explained that rejecting the ruling could have led to a state‑appointed trustee (kayyum) taking over the party, saying a trustee would have created “a bigger problem.” In a televised interview, Kılıçdaroğlu criticized party deputy Özgür Özel, asking “What did you negotiate with Erdoğan?” and reaffirmed the CHP’s stance against corruption, noting investigations into CHP mayors and the Istanbul municipality. He described high‑profile cases such as Can Atalay, Selahattin Demirtaş and Osman Kavala as “political” but argued that legal actions against CHP officials should be based on concrete evidence, not political motives. The leader also reiterated his support for former Istanbul mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu during his detention, calling for transparent, non‑custodial judicial proceedings.