Chaos erupted at the main opposition party’s headquarters in Turkey this Sunday as riot police deployed tear gas and forced their way through the facility’s gates. The operation was aimed at removing the existing leadership of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), following a volatile legal battle that has shaken the country’s political landscape.

The intervention stems from a controversial appeals court ruling issued last Thursday, which nullified the 2023 CHP congress results that had originally brought leader Ozgur Ozel to power. By citing electoral irregularities, the court effectively stripped Ozel of his position and mandated the reinstatement of his predecessor, Kemal Kilicdaroglu. Kilicdaroglu, who had previously faced a defeat against President Tayyip Erdogan in the 2023 national elections, now finds himself thrust back into the helm of the party amidst this aggressive transition.