Turkey's CHP grapples with leadership pressure on Gürsel Erol and 21 vacant provincial chairs

Within the Republican People's Party (CHP), internal debates have intensified after the party’s “absolute null” decision on extraordinary congresses. Elazığ MP Gürsel Erol’s name surfaced as a possible consensus candidate for the party chair, with some factions urging him to run. Erol, however, cautioned that the party’s internal crisis should be resolved before any leadership contest, warning that premature candidacy discussions could damage CHP unity.

Separately, the party’s recent removal of 36 provincial chairpersons has left 21 provincial posts still unfilled. Former deputy Özgür Özel described the situation as a management crisis, alleging that candidates are rejecting offers, while the central leadership argues the delay results from a thorough vetting process and a search for consensus among many applicants.