Turkey’s Ruling Under a ‘Junta’: CHP Leader’s Claim and Erdogan’s Response

Fahrettin Altun, head of the Communications Directorate of the Turkish Presidency, responded to the characterization of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as the ‘leader of a junta’ by the leader of the Republican People’s Party (CHP). In a post on platform X, Altun stated: “It is at least politically unethical and disproportionate for those whose political history is rife with coups and anti-democratic interventions to address our president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has dedicated his life to the will of the nation and fought decisively against centers of political guardianship, with unethical and unspeakable insults such as ‘head of a junta.’” Meanwhile, CHP leader Özgür Özlü, during an emergency party conference in Ankara, declared: “Today, Turkey is governed by a junta that fears elections, fears its opponent, and fears the people. Tayyip Erdogan is not a president with the support of the people but has become a junta leader targeting anyone who could oppose him.” The emergency conference confirmed the re-election of Özgür Özlü as the sole candidate for the leadership of Turkey’s official opposition party. He received 1,171 votes out of 1,276 voting delegates. Additionally, elections were held for the 181 members of the party council. Özlü called on President Erdogan to resort to early elections and face Ekrem İmamoğlu in the polls. Despite the arrest of mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, the CHP aims to gather over 28 million signatures supporting early elections, more than Erdogan received in the 2023 elections.