Özel plots breakaway party to topple Erdoğan in 2028 Turkish election

Özgür Özel, the deposed leader of Turkey’s main opposition CHP, announced plans to form a new party to challenge President Erdoğan in the 2028 election, a move that could unite the fractured opposition and reshape Turkish politics. The breakaway party could be founded soon and, once formalities are completed, become parliament’s largest opposition bloc as many CHP MPs are expected to join. Polls suggest the unnamed party would beat Erdoğan’s AKP if elections were held today, but Özel faces ongoing legal crackdowns and potential loss of immunity as authorities pursue cases against dissenters.