Political tensions in Turkey reached a critical point in the early hours of today, August 5.
The Ankara Chief Prosecutor's Office has officially requested the lifting of parliamentary immunity for the leader of the main opposition party “New Party“ (Yeni Parti) Özgür Özel. The motion has been sent to the Ministry of Justice as part of a large-scale investigation into corruption and bribery on a particularly large scale.
According to an official statement from the prosecution, quoted in publications by the Turkish ANKA news agency and the Bianet platform, Özel is being investigated for receiving serial bribes. Along with him, MP Veli Agbaba is also included in the case.
What is the opposition leader accused of?
The investigation focuses on events surrounding the controversial Republican People's Party (CHP) congress in 2023, when Özel headed the movement, as well as the holding of local elections in 2024. Prosecutors allege that the politician accepted financial means in exchange for party services and personnel appointments.
The state prosecution is referring to court decisions from May 2026, when the Ankara court annulled the CHP congress in question due to serious violations. This court order forced Özel to leave the party and create the new political formation “New Party“, in which he was followed by nearly 90 deputies, which automatically gave it the status of the main opposition in the Mejlis.
What is the procedure from now on?
After the Ministry of Justice has reviewed the submitted file, it must be forwarded to the presidency of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (parliament). In order to lift immunity and initiate legal proceedings, a simple majority in the plenary hall is required. The current ruling coalition around President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has enough votes to deprive the opposition leader of his protection.
The headquarters of the “New Party“ defines the actions of the prosecutor's office as a “politically motivated attack“ and a continuation of the judicial pressure that has led to the arrests of dozens of opposition mayors in recent months. The authorities in Ankara categorically reject the accusations, stating that the Turkish judiciary is completely independent.
The Reuters news agency (h ttps://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/turkey-detains-another-opposition-mayor-sustained-crackdown-2026-07-30/) notes that political instability is already putting serious pressure on the country's financial markets.