CHP protests erupt over regional chair appointments and Seyhan Kahraman name removal

In the central Turkish opposition party CHP, local members staged protests over recent leadership changes. In Aksaray, provincial chair Bilal Özdemir was dismissed and replaced by Cansu Bülbül; supporters occupied the party office, wrote slogans such as “Bizim il başkanımız Bilal Özdemir” and denounced the decision as illegitimate, claiming the party headquarters had been taken over by “butlacılar”.

In Trabzon, both the provincial chair and the Ortahisar district chair were removed. Party insiders say four to five candidates are being considered for the new provincial chair, and the upcoming appointment is expected to fuel internal tensions within the local organization.

In Istanbul’s Esenyurt district, the appointed kayyum removed the name of late CHP council member Seyhan Kahraman from a cultural centre. Local CHP leaders and MP Özgür Karabat held a press briefing, calling the removal unlawful and demanding the name be restored, arguing that the municipal council’s decision cannot be undone by the kayyum.

These episodes illustrate growing intra‑party disputes within CHP over appointments and decisions made by central authorities.