The deposed leader of Turkey’s main opposition on Tuesday announced plans to establish a new political party to challenge President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The announcement came months after Ozgur Ozel was removed from his post as leader of the Republican People’s Party, or CHP, by a court order — a ruling critics say was a politically motivated effort to weaken the opposition. His ouster, and the reinstatement of the party’s former and unpopular leader, sparked outrage among many CHP supporters.
“We are establishing our new party by taking the first step together with the deputies chosen by our nation,” Ozel said in a speech to fellow CHP lawmakers and other officials in parliament. “These are the determined steps of a march toward governing Turkey.”
Reports have said the new political movement, expected to be called Yeni Parti or New Party, would be formally launched later this week.
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