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Ousted Turkish opposition leader's team resigns from party assembly

By Reuters Reuters

Updated June 11, 2026 1:26 AM

FILE PHOTO: Ozgur Ozel, leader of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), speaks during an interview with Reuters in Istanbul, Turkey, March 11, 2026. REUTERS/Murad Sezer/File Photo Murad Sezer Reuters

ANKARA - The team of the ousted leader of Turkey's main opposition, Ozgur Ozel, has resigned from the party's assembly, his office said on Thursday, adding the move should legally trigger an extraordinary congress to re-elect a chairman.

In a statement a day after the Republican People's Party's (CHP) court-appointed chairman asked for the expulsion of nine party assembly members loyal to Ozel, the ousted leader's office said 28 members from the 57-member assembly had resigned, thus amounting to the fall of the party assembly and legally mandating a congress within 45 days.

(Reporting by Ece Toksabay and Tuvan Gumrukcu; Editing by Jonathan Spicer)

Supporters of Ozgur Ozel, the ousted chairman of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), scuffle with riot police during a rally while waiting for his arrival in Izmir, Turkey, May 26, 2026. REUTERS/Tolga Uluturk Tolga Uluturk Reuters

Supporters of Ozgur Ozel, the ousted chairman of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), clash with riot police during a rally while waiting for his arrival in Izmir, Turkey, May 26, 2026. REUTERS/Berkcan Zengin Berkcan Zengin Reuters

Copyright Reuters or USA Today Network via Reuters Connect.

This story was originally published June 11, 2026 at 1:08 AM.

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