YENİ Parti Chairman Özgür Özel described the Ankara Regional Court of Appeals’ absolute nullity ruling against CHP as unlawful. Özel said they had made political preparations in anticipation of the ruling and stated that, following the court proceedings, they were removed from the building by state force, but preserved the party hierarchy by 97%. Arguing that the administration that came to power through the nullity ruling was illegitimate, Özel said citizens had taken the side of those in the right.
Özel said that demand for YENİ Parti had increased during visits to 22 cities, starting with İzmir, following the absolute nullity ruling, adding that the party had been established with the encouragement and support of the public. He stated that reactions had not diminished despite three months having passed and that provincial party chairpersons appointed by the nullity administration were having difficulty finding district party chairpersons.
Describing the absolute nullity ruling as a “legal scandal,” Özel said the Supreme Court of Appeals must overturn the ruling and mend the “tear” that had formed in the law; otherwise, he said, public order would cease to exist. Özel stated that he wanted CHP to be freed from occupation and plunder and restored to a sound structure, adding that the solidarity ballot boxes set up for Ekrem İmamoğlu had received votes amounting to seven times the number of CHP members and that party administrators would be elected by the members.
Why it matters
The development brings together the legitimacy of a political party’s administration and the impact of judicial rulings on party organization. Özel’s account of the provincial and district organizations shows that the debate is not limited to the party headquarters; it also directly concerns local cadres, members and intra-party election processes. However, the report is based on Independent Türkçe’s account of Özel’s interview with BirGün and does not include the opposing side’s view, the court’s reasoning or the current status of the Supreme Court of Appeals process. In addition, while most of the council notes find the content consistent, one note considers the claims untrue and fictional; until this contradiction is resolved, statements concerning the existence of the ruling, its consequences and its organizational impact require independent verification.
Background
Özel is not a new name in the FikirPilot archive: we have published 2 reports mentioning the name in the past 90 days; the most recent was dated August 28, 2026.