BirGün Gazetesi
Politics Collective The decision on “absolute nullity” cannot be regarded merely as a judicial ruling on who will lead the CHP . This decision also signifies that the Constitution has been suspended, that the Supreme Election Board (YSK)—which oversees the entire electoral process—has been rendered effectively dysfunctional, and indeed that a competitive electoral system has come to an end. With this decision by the courts and the YSK’s stance, no election to be held in Turkey, nor any ballot box to be set up, will retain any meaning. In this context, to interpret the decision of absolute nullity merely as the removal of CHP General Chairman Özgür Özel from office and the appointment of Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu in his place, to attempt to assess this situation within a legal framework, or to seek a way forward from this point would be a futile endeavour. Erdoğan -Bahçeli alliance is relying heavily on two things as it makes these moves. If the massive bureaucratic apparatus and financial power at its disposal come first, US President Trump comes second. It appears that imperialist policies seeking to redesign the Middle East along the US-Israel axis have chosen to redesign the regime in Turkey for their own interests through Erdoğan. They have once again sided with Erdoğan. The People’s Alliance is aware that this support alone will not be sufficient to maintain the regime. It is precisely here that the third group Erdoğan relies on has once again stepped in. This group consists of individuals emerging from within the opposition who extend a lifeline to Erdoğan whenever he finds himself in a tight spot. We cannot assess the recent decision on absolute nullity and Kılıçdaroğlu’s acceptance of it independently of these developments. The developments following this decision, the statements from the regime, and the pro-government media’s approach to the issue have shown that Kılıçdaroğlu is expected to play a role that will facilitate Erdoğan’s work on the international stage. Therefore, this is not merely a CHP issue. It is of vital importance for every political party to adopt a stance that does not make them a part of this plan. Returning to Erdoğan’s main advantage over the opposition; To understand the stance taken today by Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu and the so-called “opposition” figures, who have accepted the role of absolute nullity, it is worth looking back at the recent past. As the former CHP leader, Deniz Baykal was one of the key figures who, through the role he assumed following the 7 June elections—which paved the way for Erdoğan in politics—further strengthened him. Following Baykal, Kılıçdaroğlu repeated similar mistakes. Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu’s candidacy, the acceptance of unsigned, wet-inked minutes in the referendum, the Six-Party Table, the imposition of a candidate… The list of “support” for Kılıçdaroğlu goes on and on. But it must be said that Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu’s masterstroke was the stance he adopted regarding the absolute nullity ruling. Even those closest to him could not have anticipated this. Kılıçdaroğlu, who was appointed as the “absolute nullity”, has been a lifeline for Erdoğan on numerous occasions over the past 15 years. But to explain the stance he has taken during this critical period for the country, under these conditions, merely as a “setback” or “pouring water on the mill” would be far too simplistic. The position he stands in today goes far beyond all of that. It is abundantly clear that all these events are part of a regime game. It is a Palace intrigue. It is the forced imposition of a regime—one that has lost public support, whose shelf life has long since expired, and which is rotten to the core in every sense—upon 80 million people. The voices rising from the streets, public opinion polls and the recent local elections all indicate that the Erdoğan cult is eroding, and that the AKP and the structure it represents are undergoing a major collapse. The economic, political and social crisis that has been ongoing in the country for years has created an unbridgeable chasm between broad sections of the public and the People’s Alliance. No matter what the ruling bloc does, or whatever Erdoğan says, they have failed to reverse the situation. In this state of helplessness, the ruling bloc is seeking a way out by attacking the opposition, seizing the last remaining democratic rights in the country, and ultimately rigging the ballot box. By sidelining the CHP through the judiciary, it is attempting to alter the course of politics. Erdoğan and his inner circle believe they can break the will and demand for change expressed by the growing numbers of women, young people, pensioners and workers through these means. Turkey is at a sharp crossroads, one side of which leads into pitch-black darkness. In this process, an opposition politics built on personal, group or party-based calculations would, in essence, mean aligning oneself with the regime. An opposition buried in simple alliance calculations and the pursuit of a few seats in Parliament cannot possibly cope with all that is happening. An extraordinary, united resistance must be mounted against the ruling bloc’s extraordinary assaults. The issue has long since ceased to be the concern of a single party or individual. There is no alternative but for those who defend democracy against monarchy, freedoms against oppression and authoritarianism, secularism against an Islamist regime, and peace against violence and war to unite in a common front of resistance. Note: This article is translated from the original article titled Mutlak butlan değil mutlak monarşi arayışı , published in BirGün newspaper on May 23, 2026.
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