Tens of thousands march in support of Turkey's deposed opposition leader

The march underscores the ongoing political confrontation surrounding Turkey's opposition as tens of thousands of CHP supporters marched through central Ankara on Saturday to back Ozgur Ozel, who had been ousted as party leader by a court order issued on May 21. The crowds gathered in Guven Park before joining him on an impromptu march to the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, with Ozel condemning the move as a bid to neutralize the opposition and urging supporters that 'today is the day to restart our march to power'. Ozel, 51, led the CHP for 13 years until a court replaced him with his predecessor Kemal Kilicdaroglu, a development that has intensified the standoff ahead of possible elections and raised questions about judicial independence.

The ruling AKP says the courts operate impartially, even as authorities have detained hundreds of CHP officials in nationwide corruption probes. Kilicdaroglu addressed a rival rally at the CHP headquarters while police cleared Ozel's supporters, highlighting a split within the party as it seeks to sustain momentum after the 2024 municipal wins that strengthened CHP control in Istanbul and Ankara. Analysts say the dispute could influence the path to the 2028 presidential vote, with Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu viewed as Erdogan's principal challenger despite his imprisonment since March last year on multiple charges.