Socialist International's Decision Regarding Parties in Türkiye: CHP's Membership Has Been Frozen

Socialist International, which includes social democratic and centre-left parties around the world, has made a new decision regarding two political parties in Türkiye.

While the organization froze the membership of the CHP, it accepted the membership application of the YENİ Party.

The Socialist International's long-standing relationship with the CHP gained a new dimension during the CHP administration and "absolute nullity" discussions in 2026.

In its statement dated May 28, 2026, the organization stated that it followed the CHP congresses closely and that the processes in which Özgür Özel was elected were democratic and inclusive.

At that time, the Socialist International announced that it would continue to recognize the special and elected CHP administration and called for an extraordinary congress to Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu.

In its statements regarding the "absolute nullity" decision, the Socialist International reacted harshly to the legal process in question and evaluated the development as an intervention against Türkiye's democratic system.

With the latest decision, it was reported that CHP's membership in the Socialist International was frozen.

Socialist International also accepted the NEW Party's membership application to the organization. Thus, the NEW Party's application was approved simultaneously with the freezing of CHP's membership.

Socialist International made a statement of support for Özgür Özel after the establishment of the NEW Party. In the organization's letter dated July 24, 2026, Özel's decision to continue his political struggle with the NEW Party was supported and it was stated that they would continue to work closely with the new formation.

In its statement published on the developments in the CHP in May 2026, the Socialist International criticized the judicial decision regarding the congress process in which Özgür Özel was elected as the chairman.

In its statement on May 22, the organization described the election of Özel and the judicial decision invalidating the decisions taken at the congress as "a blow to Türkiye's democratic system" and declared its support for Özel and the elected administration.

Özgür Özel is the vice president of the Socialist International. The organization stated in the solidarity letter it published after the establishment of the NEW Party that it would continue to work closely with Özel.