In a significant ruling on Friday, a Turkish court dismissed a lawsuit challenging the legitimacy of the Republican People’s Party’s (CHP) internal election held in November 2023. The case, which sought to annul the party’s 38th congress, alleged electoral fraud, including vote-buying and procedural violations. The court found no legal basis to overturn the election results, thereby affirming the leadership of current CHP chairperson Ozgur Ozel. The lawsuit had raised the possibility of reinstating former leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu or appointing a trustee chairman, a move that could have destabilized the party. The CHP has consistently denied the allegations, labeling the legal action as a politically motivated effort by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government to weaken the opposition through judicial pressure. Critics argue that the case is part of a broader crackdown on the CHP, which has gained momentum in recent local elections. The party’s municipalities, including Istanbul under Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, have faced waves of arrests this year. Imamoglu, a prominent Erdogan critic, remains in pre-trial custody on corruption charges, which he denies. His arrest in March sparked widespread protests, further intensifying political tensions in the country. Erdogan’s administration maintains that Turkey’s judiciary operates independently and that investigations are focused solely on combating corruption.