By Bosphorus News Political Desk
Özgür Özel's Yeni Parti formally emerged on July 24, 2026, with 91 lawmakers, becoming Türkiye's main opposition and the second-largest party in parliament behind the ruling AK Party. The move reduced the Republican People's Party's strength to 44 seats and shifted most of its parliamentary weight to the new organisation.
Yeni Parti takes over main opposition role
The party appeared on the official website of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye after its founding documents were submitted to the Interior Ministry. Its parliamentary group placed it behind the AK Party, which held 277 seats, and ahead of every other opposition party.
Özel and 90 other lawmakers had resigned from the CHP before joining the new organisation, ending the party's main opposition status after more than two decades.
Özel was elected chairman unanimously at the first meeting of the Founders' Council. He said the party would pursue government and maintained his support for jailed Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu's presidential candidacy. He did not announce that Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavaş would join.
Programme retains CHP roots and promises institutional reform
The programme, titled "For a Common Future," retains the Six Arrows and names Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's founding philosophy and contemporary social democracy as its political foundations.
It calls for a strengthened parliamentary system, separation of powers, judicial independence and the rule of law. It also pledges to end the appointment of government trustees to elected municipalities and supports a democratic and negotiated approach to the Kurdish issue, including broader rights related to the use and teaching of citizens' mother tongues.
Yeni Parti promised to restore Türkiye's participation in the Istanbul Convention and revive the country's European Union membership process. Its economic platform focuses on social protection, productive investment, public accountability and a stronger welfare state.
Cyprus language reflects broad national consensus
The programme pledges to defend the political equality, sovereign rights and interests of the Turkish Cypriot side arising from international law.
The wording reflects a position shared across Türkiye's mainstream political spectrum, just as major Greek parties remain aligned on the central principles of the Greek Cypriot position.
The party's support for European integration, democratic reform and regional cooperation remains within Türkiye's established national framework on Cyprus.
European socialists back Özel's new party
The Party of European Socialists welcomed the creation of Yeni Parti and said it looked forward to continuing its common political struggle with Özel and his colleagues.
The message indicated that the party was carrying over the CHP's ties within Europe's socialist and social democratic network. European socialists had repeatedly backed Özel during the legal and political pressure on the CHP leadership.
Spanish Prime Minister and Socialist Workers' Party leader Pedro Sánchez also sent a message of support.
DEM Party opens an early channel
DEM Party co-chairs Tülay Hatimoğulları and Tuncer Bakırhan telephoned Özel to congratulate him after the party was established.
The contact came as Yeni Parti pledged to end trustee appointments, expand mother-tongue rights and pursue a negotiated approach to the Kurdish issue. The call did not signal an alliance, but established an early channel between the two parties.
Charter introduces term limits and representation quotas
The charter limits lawmakers, mayors and other elected local administrators to three consecutive terms.
It also establishes a 50 percent gender quota and a 25 percent youth quota for party bodies and candidate lists. The gender quota will begin at 33 percent and rise progressively until the first ordinary congress.
Sources: Grand National Assembly of Türkiye, Yeni Parti, ANKA News Agency, Bosphorus News review and reporting.