At least 50,000 people gathered in Ankara on Sunday in a protest organized by Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), one day before a court hearing that could strip the party of its leadership.
Protesters filled Tandoğan Square in the capital, waving Turkish flags and wearing T-shirts bearing the image of the republic’s founder, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, in what was seen as a major show of defiance.
CHP vice chairman Murat Bakan said 50,000 people were present, while Agence France-Presse correspondents confirmed many tens of thousands packed the square.
In his speech, CHP leader Özgür Özel called the case a “judicial coup” aimed at toppling him from leadership.
“This government does not want democracy. They know they cannot win elections if there is democracy. They don’t want justice: they know if there’s justice, they won’t be able to cover up their crimes,” Özel said.
“This case is political, the allegations are slander,” he continued. “This is a coup and we will resist. We are facing the grave consequences of Turkey’s government abandoning the ‘democracy train’ and choosing to govern through oppression rather than the ballot box. Unfortunately, anyone who poses a democratic threat to the government is now its target.”
The Ankara court will rule Monday on whether to annul the results of the CHP’s November 2023 congress, which elected Özel as leader, on grounds of alleged vote-rigging.
Critics say the case is a politically motivated effort to weaken Turkey’s oldest political party, which dealt President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) a heavy blow in the 2024 local elections and has been rising in opinion polls.
Addressing the Turkish president, Özel asked: “Erdoğan, did you ever see Tandoğan Square like this?” as the crowd chanted: “Erdoğan resign!”
© Agence France-Presse