Turkey's CHP to hold extraordinary congress after court dismisses Istanbul leadership

Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) will hold an extraordinary congress after a court dismissed its Istanbul leadership. The court annulled the party's October 2023 provincial congress results, removing leader Ozgur Celik and 195 other officials due to alleged irregularities. The CHP alleges the move is politically motivated by President Erdogan's government following the opposition's success in the 2024 local elections. This action is seen as part of a wider crackdown that has included the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu and has caused the Turkish stock market to plunge.