The Ankara Regional Court of Appeals 36th Civil Chamber's ‘Absolute nullity’ decision on the CHP's 38th Ordinary Assembly was not a surprise. It was more about the timing. The NATO summit will be held in Turkey/Ankara in July 2026. Due to the Absolute Nullity decision, there were some evaluations that a possible crisis in domestic politics could have a negative impact on the summit, so the decision could be left until after the NATO summit. However, in the statements made by the ruling media and the evaluations of some journalists giving dates and days, it was stated that the ‘Absolute Nullity’ verdict was written and even uploaded to UYAP and would be announced shortly. The court did not disappoint expectations and with the ‘Absolute Nullity’ verdict, it dismissed Özgür Özel's administration with precautionary measures and reinstated Kılıçdaroğlu.
Court decision is political, not legal
Formally, it could be said that this case, initiated on the basis of a complaint, is of a legal nature. But this is not the real situation. It is a situation that everyone knows very clearly that it is part of the strategy determined and implemented by the government. In this respect, the Court's decision is not a matter that can be evaluated with statements like ‘justice has been served’. The court's decision is one of the important links in a plan that will directly affect Turkey's political future. The government is in no way interested in the fact that ‘unlawful procedures were carried out at the CHP's 38th General Congress or that Özgür Özel won the election through fraudulent methods’. Its aim is to politically neutralize the CHP, which won the 2024 Local Elections and is shown as the first party in all polls. For this reason, extensive attacks have been launched against CHP Municipalities in order to neutralize the CHP's absolute success in the Local Elections. Despite this, they cannot prevent the CHP from becoming the first party. This time a process has been initiated to create a serious internal conflict within the internal dynamics of the CHP and in a way to divide and fragment it. The appointment of Gürsel Tekin as Istanbul Provincial Chairman was the first attempt. Secondly, but most importantly, making moves to divide the CHP very clearly with the decision of absolute nullity. All segments of society see this reality.
The ‘Absolute Nullity’ plan, which was put into effect with a judicial ruling, is a serious step towards the division and disintegration of the CHP, the return of the AK Party to power or the election of Erdoğan as president once again. How successful this will be cannot be determined by the AK Party's plan alone. The first is whether the ‘Absolute Nullity’ decision will turn into a conflict within the CHP. The second is the reaction of the social opposition in general.
Allegation that President Erdoğan was not aware of the Absolute Nullity Decision
‘It is stated that President Erdoğan was not aware of the announcement of the ’Absolute Nullity' verdict. It is unrealistic to claim that the President was not informed about a decision that journalists close to the government were informed about. It is not possible for the President to be unaware or uninformed about a decision that affects Turkey's political, social and economic future.
It was known that there were some within the AK Party who said that a decision such as ‘Absolute Nullity’ would have serious negative consequences for both the AKP and the country. It was reported that important figures in the civilian wing of the AK Party, including Kurtulmuş, the Speaker of the Parliament, and the Economic Committee had conveyed their opposition to a possible ‘Absolute Nullity’ decision to the president and had even given a briefing. However, the bureaucratic wing of the government, which does not come from the AKP tradition, insisted on ‘Absolute Nullity’ and President Erdoğan was close to this leaning. Was President Erdoğan aware of the timing? We cannot know that. Perhaps there might have been a tactical tendency to leave it until after the NATO summit. However, in an environment where the ruling media knew almost the exact time of the publication of the court decision, it seems unlikely that President Erdoğan was not aware of it. In this respect, it seems that the decisions taken and the timetable set were carried out by a narrow bureaucratic team in the presidency, including the Minister of Justice, rather than the civilian politicians of the AKP.
MHP Leader Bahçeli's Statements
Bahçeli is apparently unhappy with the ‘absolute nullity’ verdict. In a previous statement, he had said that he was ‘against an absolute nullity verdict’ against the CHP. Bahçeli was again the first to make a statement after the court ruling and to call on Kılıçdaroğlu: “Within the framework permitted by the law, he should meet with Mr. Özgür Özel and state that he renounces his renunciation in order to create a common formula for the future of the CHP.” Bahçeli's proposal “Compromise is the only way at this stage” and adds: “Acting within the framework of rules and institutions, with common sense, unity and solidarity, and compromising on the future of the CHP will be the best way forward” He said. Bahçeli knows that this decision taken at the Presidential Palace will deepen Turkey's domestic political crisis, plunge the ailing economy into chaos and have international and regional repercussions. Likewise, he seems to be seriously concerned that this crisis will directly affect the ‘solution process’ and effectively end it. Therefore, despite the court ruling, he has been sending messages especially to Kılıçdaroğlu. Bahçeli is a leader who understands very well that the division and disintegration of the CHP would have serious negative consequences for the future of the state. Knowing that the CHP equals the founding codes of the state, Bahçeli is extremely disturbed by the AK Party's and even the palace's plans to divide and fragment the CHP. For the MHP, efforts to throw the CHP out of the system are important enough to break the ‘People's Alliance’. If this process gets out of control, the MHP may make surprise moves.
The entire opposition, from the Dem Party to the Victory Party, against the ‘Absolute Nullity’ decision
All political parties, from the Left to the Right, have made it very clear that they oppose the Absolute Nullity ruling. The first written statement came from the Dem Party. In a written statement “The decision of absolute nullity against CHP is part of a political pressure operation and understanding that is incompatible with law and justice and wants to design politics through the judiciary. As DEM Party, we are in favor of democracy and law today as in the past. The basic and principled motto of our decades of struggle is to stand by the will of the people against attacks on democratic politics. In this historical period when efforts to achieve social peace are intensifying, when there are ways to bring the state and the Republic together with democracy in the real sense, the decision of absolute nullity will only increase the disbelief in the Peace and Democratic Society Process. Practices that increase polarization in society and destroy internal peace increase the crisis of confidence...” We had stated that there would be a connection between a possible Absolute Nullity Decision and the Resolution Process. It is understood that one of the Dem Party's major concerns is that an Absolute Nullity Decision would carry the risk of putting the solution process on the back burner.
Zafer Party President Ümit Özdağ was one of the first Presidents to visit Özgür Özel. In a statement, he described the ‘Absolute Nullity’ verdict as a coup. “What happened today is also a coup attempt against the constitutional powers of the Supreme Election Board, which is a constitutional body, a judicial body.”
IYI Party Chairman Müsavat Dervişoğlu made a statement regarding the cancellation of CHP's 38th Ordinary Congress: ”This approach, which violates our Constitution, is a threat to all political parties... The decision of absolute nullity is itself absolute nullity”
TİP Chairman Erkan Baş visited CHP Headquarters and met with Özel: “This is not the first time we are facing lawlessness. If they know how to commit lawlessness, we know how to resist.”
Bar associations oppose ‘Absolute Mutlan’ decision
First of all, the bar associations of Adıyaman, Ağrı, Batman, Bingöl, Bitlis, Diyarbakır, Dersim, Hakkari, Iğdır, Kars, Muş, Siirt, Şanlıurfa, Şırnak and Van made a joint statement on the cancellation of CHP's 38th Ordinary Congress: “It is clear that the absolute nullity decision issued against the Republican People's Party has brought about debates in terms of the right to vote and be elected and the principles of democratic representation. Political parties are indispensable elements of the democratic social order. For this reason, any interference with political activities must comply with universal principles of law and the principle of proportionality stipulated by the Constitution. According to the Constitution and the Law on Political Parties, the authority to decide on the legality of a political party's convention lies with the election boards and the Supreme Election Board. The decision in question is clearly against the law in this respect as well.” Later on, the Union of Turkish Bar Associations and the Bar Associations of major cities such as Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir made a statement and declared that the Absolute Nullity decision was against the law.
Statements of Civil Society Organizations on the Absolute Nullity Decision
Turkey's major professional but also non-governmental organizations such as DISK, KESK and TMMOB made statements against the Absolute Nullity Decision.
DISK “Those who try to maintain their power by imprisoning those elected by the people, appointing trustees to municipalities and finally to rival political parties should know that there is no power greater than the people...”
KESK: “The AKP government has once again resorted to a judicial cudgel to destroy the opposition and intimidate social dissent. Today's ‘absolute nullity’ decision of the Court of Appeal on the CHP congress is a clear blow to democratic politics...”
TMMOB: “The “absolute nullity” verdict on the Republican People's Party Congress has become a new link in the crisis of democracy and law that has been deepening in our country for a long time. With this political decision, the judiciary is once again interfering in democratic processes, the will of the people and politics, and intimidating the entire social opposition...”
Civil Society Organizations will openly take a stance against the ‘Absolute Nullity’ decision of the Court of Appeal. The issue here is not the CHP, but the government's stance against the further authoritarianization of its authoritarian power by liquidating all institutional structures of the system.
Emergency meeting by the Ministry of Treasury and Finance after the absolute nullity decision
The Ministry of Treasury and Finance announced that the Financial Stability Committee will convene under the chairmanship of Mehmet Şimşek following the “absolute nullity” decision against CHP. The meeting will discuss the effects of the recent developments in the markets on the economy and new steps that can be taken. It was claimed that 15 billion dollars have been released to the market since yesterday.
According to the ‘Income Tax Law“ adopted by the parliament, it has been decided that ”the income and revenues obtained abroad will be exempt from income tax for 20 years and the income and revenues obtained outside Turkey will be exempt from income tax for 20 years‘. Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek and Fatih Karahan, Governor of the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey, had traveled to London to announce that Turkey would become a ’tax haven' for foreign companies.
Şimşek and Karahan were in a meeting with investors in London when the CHP's decision of absolute nullity caused the meeting to be interrupted and almost failed, and it was stated that the duo experienced a shock. British economist Timothy Ash, “some foreign investors left the meeting and returned to their offices after the said development was reflected in the agencies” stated. Şimşek had previously stated that the impact of a decision such as Mutluk Butlan on the economy would have much more serious consequences than the detention of İmamoğlu. It seems extremely difficult for Şimşek to recover the economy at this rate. No one should be surprised if Şimşek leaves his post or is dismissed in the coming months. The process is heading this way.
International reactions against the ‘Absolute Absolute’
Spanish Prime Minister Sanchez is also the President of the Socialist International and has good relations with Özel. He reacted harshly to the “absolute nullity” verdict on the CHP congress and made the following statement; “This decision is a blow to Turkey's democratic system,” he said and added: “The decision of absolute nullity taken by Ankara is a completely illegal act with no legal legitimacy. As Socialist International, we stand in full solidarity with President Özgür Özel and the democratically elected and legitimate leadership of the Republican People's Party.”
The absolute nullity decision will have serious repercussions both in international relations and in global economic institutions. If this problem deepens, Ankara will have much more serious political and legal problems, especially with the EU, and the policies of global companies towards Turkey will develop negatively. In London, where Şimşek and Karahan went to explain the concessions made to global capital in order to encourage global companies to invest in Turkey, they came back empty-handed. We can say that there is an international acceptance of the perception that the ’Absolute Nullity' decision to liquidate the main opposition party CHP, which has a very high probability of coming to power in the next elections, is the highest concrete step in the implementation of President Erdoğan's authoritarianism policy. It can be said that this decision will negatively affect the global policies towards Turkey.
Battle of Tactics
After the court's ‘absolute nullity’ ruling, Kılıçdaroğlu withdrew his appeal against the ‘absolute nullity’ ruling against CHP. Because the decision he wanted came out. On the contrary, Özgür Özel's lawyers reapplied to the Court of Cassation and the Court of Cassation accepted the application made on behalf of Özel.
After the Court of Appeal's decision, the bailiffs officially delivered the notification to Kılıçdaroğlu. Interestingly, the notification was made to Kılıçdaroğlu's office, not to the CHP headquarters. Thus, Kılıçdaroğlu was inaugurated as CHP chairman by the court's decision.
The CHP's application to the Supreme Electoral Council was urgently discussed today and the application was rejected. In other words, it de facto approved the Absolute Nullity decision. This situation has strengthened Kılıçdaroğlu's hand legally.
Dual Power in CHP
Whether it is accepted or not, there is a dual power situation in the CHP today. On the one hand, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, who was brought back to the presidency by a conscious plan of the government, that is, by a court decision. On the other hand, Özgür Özel, who has held two extraordinary and Ordinary Congresses, achieved significant results in the 2024 Local Elections and ranked first in public opinion polls, is at the head of today's Headquarters. This dual power situation is a de facto division. The deepening of this division will render the CHP politically ineffective to a very serious extent, no matter who represents it. The plan set by the Palace continues to work successfully so far. It has become inevitable to overcome this process and to make the necessary political sensitivities and moves to frustrate the moves of the government.
What can or should Kılıçdaroğlu do?
The current CHP leadership should plan carefully. If they manage the process with emotions, they may lose. Instead of openly clashing with Kılıçdaroğlu, it would be wiser for them to negotiate a solution. The CHP is in complete chaos right now. Özgür Özel and his team must have made a plan. However, if this planning results in a conflict, the CHP will suffer a very serious wound. Both the CHP base and the base of other parties know that the Absolute Nullity Decision was taken to put the CHP into a complete internal crisis. They should know that it will take calm and productive planning to get out of this crisis. My impression is this:
First, it appears that Kılıçdaroğlu was aware of the ‘Absolute Nullity Decision’ in advance and prepared accordingly. Second, Kılıçdaroğlu will not go to the CHP headquarters with the police like Gürsel Tekin did. If he does, he will go alone or with a delegation after the atmosphere calms down. Third, there is a high probability that there will be intermediaries to compromise. Kılıçdaroğlu can make an action plan based on reconciliation in the current social and political situation. For this reason, Kılıçdaroğlu will be primarily interested in compromising with the General Headquarters. Under his presidency, he may make a joint planning and convene a congress with the old delegates within a few months. He himself will not be a candidate. In this way, he can send the message that he has no ambition for a seat. Fourth, if there is no compromise, he will rent another building and move the CHP Headquarters to the center. Fifth, without taking all this into account, he could use the police force to force Özgür Özel and his team out of the CHP Headquarters.
Kılıçdaroğlu's social dynamics have weakened considerably. Kılıçdaroğlu has a certain potential within the CHP. After the May 2023 elections, a significant part of the cadres who have been left out of the political equation in the CHP will gather around Kılıçdaroğlu. Their numerical proportion is not to be underestimated. With this potential, Kılıçdaroğlu could even form a new party and organize in every province of Turkey within 6 months. However, Kılıçdaroğlu's social approval both among CHP voters and in Turkey in general has fallen significantly. Kılıçdaroğlu does not even have the approval of CHP voters. Undoubtedly, the cadres around Kılıçdaroğlu will say the opposite: ‘With Kılıçdaroğlu, the CHP will become the first party again in a short time’. But this is not realistic.
Kılıçdaroğlu did important and good things in the past. His candidacy for the presidency was right and I supported him as a person. The fact that he lost the election has nothing to do with Kılıçdaroğlu's personality. Undoubtedly, the joint politics he pursued, especially with Meral Akşener, played an important role in the loss of the elections. Kılıçdaroğlu's failure to resign after losing the elections was another mistake. In the process that started after that, Kılıçdaroğlu was hit by his close friends like Erdoğan Toprak, with whom he had formed an alliance for years. On March 19, 2025, during the operations against IBB, the spiritual bond between Kılıçdaroğlu, who did not come to Saraçhan, and the CHP base or voters was severed.
The perception formed for Kılıçdaroğlu was ensured by the government to put him back in charge of the CHP. Whether it is accepted or not, this is the perception of CHP voters. In the near future, Kılıçdaroğlu will meet first with President Erdoğan and then with Devlet Bahçeli. This process will also reveal Kılıçdaroğlu's political orientation.
Kılıçdaroğlu has some known names in his crosshairs. He will not want them to be in the CHP in any way. He will push for the purge of some mayors and deputies in the CHP, which he defines as purification.
Kılıçdaroğlu must take a clear stance against the Palace's policies. He should not remain silent against the attacks against the CHP. He should not bear grudges and reactions against Ekrem İmamoğlu and his friends, but rather embrace them.
What does Ozgur Ozel do or what should he do?
Özgür Özel has been legally squeezed by the government. However, there is strong social support for Özel. Almost all political parties, except the AK Party, have taken a stance against the ‘Absolute Nullity’ decision. Bar associations, trade unions and civil society organizations are siding with CHP. CHP voters overwhelmingly support Özgür Özel. A significant part of the society considers the ‘Absolute Nullity’ as a political move of the government. CHP's results in the local elections and all the polls conducted in the following period show CHP as the first party. Although many mayors have switched to the AK Party, CHP's influence on the electorate continues to grow.
Özgür Özel has reactionary and spontaneous outbursts. It should be known that he should restrain these and that he cannot solve the problem with emotional outbursts. For example, he should stay away from reactionary behaviors such as taking down Kılıçdaroğlu's picture, unfollowing Kılıçdaroğlu on CHP's X account, not answering Kılıçdaroğlu's phone calls.
Özgür Özel has strengthened his leadership position since May 19, 2025. He has followed and continues to follow a consistent policy within himself. For this, he should create solution-oriented policies. He should ensure that those who have been expelled or left outside the CHP are brought back into the CHP. It should be unifying, not exclusionary. The CHP needs purification on many issues. It is known that there are those who have done harm, including Özel's close colleagues and many municipalities. Cleansing from these will win, not lose.
Özel has an important role in the CHP's current social power. There is the reality of Özel doing politics on the street. But there is also the reality of Kılıçdaroğlu. They have worked together in the past. It is inevitable that they will come up with a joint solution.
Conclusion: The primary responsibility for preventing a deepening crisis or chaos in the CHP, which appears to be the first party in the polls, lies with Kılıçdaroğlu. There is a fact that everyone knows: The absolute nullity case is a political decision, not a legal one. It is very clear that it was designed according to a specific plan. It is not only to break the political influence of the CHP, but also to redesign the political future of Turkey. Kılıçdaroğlu sees and knows this reality very well. It is Kılıçdaroğlu who will stop or reverse this negative process.
Kılıçdaroğlu's message in X reads as follows: “Today is the day to put aside resentments and stand up with seriousness, calmness and inclusiveness.” Kılıçdaroğlu should say: As someone who served 12 years as CHP chairman, I will not play these games, I resign from my post. Özgür Özel will continue his duty. I continue to gather everyone under the CHP umbrella. Of course, Özgür Özel and his administration will have important demands in the restructuring of the CHP. It is also Özel's responsibility to take these into account and fulfill them. Kılıçdaroğlu's positive and constructive role in this process will bring his political and social power and influence back to its former level.
DR. Mustafa Peköz wrote...