UPDATE 2-Ousted Turkish opposition leader calls for party congress in 40 days

The ousted leader of Turkey's main opposition party called on Saturday for a new party congress to be held as soon as possible - in some ‌40 days - after a court ruling this week unseated its leadership, fuelling a political crisis. A Turkish appeals court on Thursday annulled the results of a 2023 congress of the Republican People's Party (CHP), at which Ozel was elected, citing unspecified irregularities. In his place, the court reinstated former CHP Chairman Kemal Kilicdaroglu, ‌a divisive figure who lost to President Tayyip Erdogan in elections earlier that year.

"Everyone wants one thing: that the congress be held ‌as soon as possible — within about 40 days," Ozel told reporters. He said that 110 of the CHP's 138 lawmakers had elected him as head of the party's parliamentary group on Saturday and he would chair the CHP's parliamentary meetings, rather than Kilicdaroglu. The ousted CHP leadership under Ozel has previously condemned the court ruling as a "judicial coup" and Ozel promised ⁠to fight it ​through legal appeals and to personally ⁠remain "day and night" in the CHP's Ankara headquarters.

Speaking to reporters, reinstated leader Kilicdaroglu called on CHP members to avoid internal divisions and said the party must protect its "moral values" in ⁠the face of criticism. "During this process, it is crucial to carefully avoid talk that could divide the party's grassroots," he said.

SUSPECTS DETAINED OVER 2023 CONGRESS Earlier ​on Saturday, state media said Turkish police had detained 13 people under an investigation into the 2023 congress. The Istanbul chief public prosecutor's ⁠office said the 13 suspects were detained across seven provinces over allegations of interference in delegates' voting during the 2023 congress, state-owned Anadolu news agency reported on Saturday.

They face charges of "violating ⁠the ​law on political parties", "accepting bribes", and "laundering assets derived from crime", the statement said. Search and seizure operations were carried out at the suspects' addresses in the provinces of Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Sanliurfa, Kahramanmaras, Kilis and Malatya. Analysts said this week's court ruling, seen as a test of Turkey's shaky balance ⁠between democracy and autocracy, could prolong Erdogan's 23-year rule even as the country risks another setback in its long battle against soaring inflation.

The next ⁠national election is set for ⁠2028, but would need to be brought forward if Erdogan, 72, and facing a term limit, wants to run again. The court ruling was seen as raising the chances of an early vote. The government denies criticism ‌that it uses courts ‌to target political rivals, saying the judiciary is independent.

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