View source for Republican People's Party

{{short description|Social-democratic political party in Turkey}}
{{about|the political party in Turkey}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2016}}
{{Infobox political party
| name             = Republican People's Party
| logo             = CHP logo (2024, vertical red).svg
| logo_size        = 150px
| colorcode        = {{party color|Republican People's Party (Turkey)}}
| leader           = [[Özgür Özel]]
| secretary_general = [[Selin Sayek Böke]]
| spokesperson     = [[Deniz Yücel (politician)|Deniz Yücel]]
| ideology         = {{ubl|class=nowrap|
|[[Social democracy]]{{refn|<ref>{{cite web |access-date=8 May 2022 |archive-date=2 July 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150702001416/http://partiiciegitim.chp.org.tr/dosyalar/mevzuat/CHP-Tuzuk.pdf |title=Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi – Parti İçi Eğitim Birimi |url=http://partiiciegitim.chp.org.tr/dosyalar/mevzuat/CHP-Tuzuk.pdf |url-status=live}}<!-- auto-translated from Turkish by Module:CS1 translator --></ref><ref>{{cite web |access-date=1 February 2022 |archive-date=1 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220201135355/https://gjia.georgetown.edu/2020/08/06/the-republican-peoples-party-chp-is-complicit-in-the-erosion-of-democracy-in-turkey/ |date=6 August 2020 |language=en-US |title=The Republican People's Party (CHP) is Complicit in the Erosion of Democracy in Turkey |url=https://gjia.georgetown.edu/2020/08/06/the-republican-peoples-party-chp-is-complicit-in-the-erosion-of-democracy-in-turkey/ |url-status=live |website=Georgetown Journal of International Affairs}}<!-- auto-translated from Turkish by Module:CS1 translator --></ref>}}
 |[[Kemalism]]{{refn|<ref>{{cite book |author=Liza Mügge |date=2013 |editor1=Dirk Halm |editor2=Muhittin Öztürk |chapter=Brussels Calling: The European organisation of migrants from Turkey |page=167 |publisher=Routledge |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ppYM_NZJsJUC&pg=PA167 |title=Migration and Organized Civil Society: Rethinking National Policy|isbn=978-1-136-24650-0 }}<!-- auto-translated from Turkish by Module:CS1 translator --></ref><ref>{{cite web |access-date=9 April 2023 |archive-date=16 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190316113117/https://content.chp.org.tr/file/chp_tuzuk_10_03_2018.pdf |date=16 March 2019 |title=Chp Parti Tüzüğü |url=https://content.chp.org.tr/file/chp_tuzuk_10_03_2018.pdf |url-status=live}}<!-- auto-translated from Turkish by Module:CS1 translator --> Başlık 10: ''"Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi, programındaki anlamlarıyla Atatürkçülüğün "Cumhuriyetçilik, Milliyetçilik, Halkçılık, Devletçilik, Laiklik, Devrimcilik" ilkelerine bağlıdır."''</ref>}}
 |[[Pro-Europeanism]]<ref>{{cite book |date=2012 |editor1=Alfred Stepan |editor2=Ahmet T. Kuru |chapter=The European Union and the Justice and Development Party |page=184, paragraph 2 |publisher=Columbia University Press |section-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=di6YdRMZMO0C&pg=PA184 |title=Democracy, Islam, and Secularism in Turkey}}<!-- auto-translated from Turkish by Module:CS1 translator --></ref>
}}
| headquarters     = Anadolu Bulvarı No: 12,<br />[[Çankaya, Ankara|Çankaya]], [[Ankara]]
| international    = [[Progressive Alliance]]<br />[[Socialist International]]<br />'''Historical:'''<br />[[International Entente of Radical and Similar Democratic Parties|Radical International]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=International Entente of Radical and Similar Democratic Parties|url=http://www.lonsea.de/pub/org/928|work=LONSEA – League of Nations Search Engine|access-date=2023-02-25}}</ref> (associate)<ref>{{Cite web|title=Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi'nin diğer ülke partileriyle ilişkisi (1923–1950) / Relationship of Republican People's Party with parties from other countries (1923–1950)|url=https://tez.yok.gov.tr/UlusalTezMerkezi/tezDetay.jsp?id=s6K0YsD5LRY65bcSueKUVg&no=7hnYaWRMYk3NNcLSIJeGiQ|work=tez.yok.gov.tr|access-date=2023-11-26}}</ref>
| website          = {{URL|https://chp.org.tr/|chp.org.tr}}
| country          = Turkey
| native_name      = Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi
| native_name_lang = Turkish
| abbreviation     = CHP <small>(in Turkish)</small><br/>RPP <small>(in English)</small>
| slogan           = ''Our work is Türkiye''
| founded          = {{ublist|
 | {{start date|1919|9|7|df=y}} (as a resistance organisation)
 | {{start date|1923|9|9|df=y}} (as a political party)
 | {{start date|1992|9|9|df=y}} (re-establishment and current form)
}}
| banned           = {{start date|1981|10|16|df=y}} (re-established in 1992)
| founder          = [[Mustafa Kemal Atatürk]]
| predecessor      = {{ublist
 | [[Committee of Union and Progress]]<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Yenen |first1=Alp |title=Elusive forces in illusive eyes: British officialdom's perception of the Anatolian resistance movement |journal=Middle Eastern Studies |date=2018 |volume=54 |issue=5 |pages=788–810 |doi=10.1080/00263206.2018.1462161|hdl=1887/74261 |s2cid=150032953 |hdl-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Zürcher |first1=Erik J. |title=The Ottoman Legacy of the Turkish Republic: An Attempt at a New Periodization |journal=Die Welt des Islams |date=1992 |volume=32 |issue=2 |pages=237–253 |doi=10.2307/1570835 |jstor=1570835 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/1570835 |issn=0043-2539|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref name=Ungor>{{cite journal |last1=Üngör |first1=Uğur Ümit |author1-link=Uğur Ümit Üngör |title=Geographies of Nationalism and Violence: Rethinking Young Turk 'Social Engineering' |journal=European Journal of Turkish Studies. Social Sciences on Contemporary Turkey |date=2008 |issue=7 |doi=10.4000/ejts.2583 |url=https://journals.openedition.org/ejts/2583#ftn1 |language=en |issn=1773-0546|doi-access=free }}</ref> (''de facto'')
 | [[Association for the Defence of the Rights of Anatolia and Rumelia]]
}}
| successor        = [[Populist Party (Turkey)|Populist Party]] (1983–1985)<br />[[Social Democracy Party (Turkey)|Social Democracy Party]] (1983–1985)<br />[[Democratic Left Party (Turkey)|Democratic Left Party]] (1985–present)
| student_wing     = Halk-Lis (Halkçı Liseliler)
| youth_wing       = [[Republican People's Party Youth|CHP Youth]]
| wing1_title      = [[Women's wing]]
| wing1            = CHP Kadın Kolları
| wing2_title      = [[Non-governmental organization|NGO]]
| wing2            = [[Atatürkist Thought Association]] (unofficial)<br />SODEV (unofficial)
| position         = [[Centre-left politics|Centre-left]]
| membership_year  = 2025
| membership       = {{increase}} 1.900.000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.yargitaycb.gov.tr/icerik/1110|title=Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi|publisher=[[Court of Cassation (Turkey)|Court of Cassation]]|access-date=10 January 2022|df=mdy-all|language=tr}}</ref>
| anthem           = 
| colors           = {{Color box|{{party color|Republican People's Party (Turkey)}}|border=darkgray}} [[Red]]<br />{{Colorbox|#FFFFFF|border=darkgray}} [[White]]
| national         = [[Nation Alliance (Turkey)|Nation Alliance]]<br>(2018–2023)
| european         = [[Party of European Socialists]] (associate)
| seats1_title     = [[Grand National Assembly of Turkey|Grand National Assembly]]
| seats1           = {{Composition bar|135|600|hex={{party color|Republican People's Party (Turkey)}}}}
| seats2_title     = [[Metropolitan municipalities in Turkey|Metropolitan municipalities]]
| seats2           = {{Composition bar|14|30|hex={{party color|Republican People's Party (Turkey)}}}}
| seats3_title     = [[Provinces of Turkey|Provinces]]
| seats3           = {{Composition bar|21|51|hex={{party color|Republican People's Party (Turkey)}}}}
| seats4_title     = [[List of municipalities in Turkey|District municipalities]]
| seats4           = {{Composition bar|311|922|hex={{party color|Republican People's Party (Turkey)}}}}
| seats5_title     = [[Belde|Belde Municipalities]]
| seats5           = {{Composition bar|62|390|hex={{party color|Republican People's Party (Turkey)}}}}
| seats6_title     = [[2024 Turkish local elections|Provincial councilors]]
| seats6           = {{Composition bar|300|1282|hex={{party color|Republican People's Party (Turkey)}}}}
| seats7_title     = [[2024 Turkish local elections|Municipal Assemblies]]
| seats7           = {{Composition bar|6565|20953|hex={{party color|Republican People's Party (Turkey)}}}}
| flag             = [[File:Flag of the Republican People's Party (Turkey).svg|200px|border|Flag of the Republican People's Party]]
}}

The '''Republican People's Party''' ('''RPP'''; {{langx|tr|Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi}} {{IPA|tr|dʒumhuːɾiˈjet haɫk 'paɾtisi||ChpPronounciation.wav}}, '''CHP''' {{IPA|tr|dʒeːheːpeˑ|}}) is a [[Kemalism|Kemalist]] and [[Social democracy|social democratic]] political party in [[Turkey]].<ref name="gjia.georgetown.edu">{{Cite web|date=2020-08-06|title=The Republican People's Party (CHP) is Complicit in the Erosion of Democracy in Turkey|url=https://gjia.georgetown.edu/2020/08/06/the-republican-peoples-party-chp-is-complicit-in-the-erosion-of-democracy-in-turkey/|access-date=2022-02-01|website=Georgetown Journal of International Affairs|language=en-US}}</ref> It is the oldest [[List of political parties in Turkey|political party in Turkey]], founded by [[Mustafa Kemal Atatürk]], the [[List of presidents of Turkey|first president]] and founder of the modern [[Turkey|Republic of Türkiye]]. The party is also cited as the founding party of modern Turkey.<ref>{{cite book|last=Ciddi|first=Sinan|title=Kemalism in Turkish Politics: The Republican People's Party, Secularism and Nationalism|publisher=Taylor & Francis|year=2009|isbn=978-0-415-47504-4}}</ref> Its logo consists of the [[The Six Arrows|Six Arrows]], which represent the foundational principles of [[Kemalism]]: [[republicanism]], [[reformism]], [[Secularism in Turkey|laicism]], [[populism]], [[nationalism]], and [[statism]]. It is currently the second largest party in [[Grand National Assembly of Turkey|Grand National Assembly]] with 135 MPs, behind the ruling conservative [[Justice and Development Party (Turkey)|Justice and Development Party]] (AKP).

The political party has its origins in the various [[Association for Defence of National Rights|resistance groups]] founded during the [[Turkish War of Independence]], with most members being previously associated with the [[Committee of Union and Progress]]. Under the leadership of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, they united in the 1919 [[Sivas Congress]]. In 1923, the "People's Party", soon adding the word "Republican" to its name, declared itself to be a political organisation and announced the [[Proclamation of the Republic of Turkey|establishment of the Turkish Republic]], with Atatürk as its first president. As Turkey moved into its authoritarian [[One-party period of the Republic of Turkey|one-party period]], the CHP was the apparatus of implementing far reaching [[Atatürk's reforms|political, cultural, social, and economic reforms]] in the country.

After [[World War II]], Atatürk's successor, [[İsmet İnönü]], allowed for multi-party elections, and the party initiated a [[peaceful transition of power]] after losing the [[1950 Turkish general election|1950 election]], ending the one-party period and beginning [[Multi-party period of the Republic of Turkey|Turkey's multi-party period]]. The years following the [[1960 Turkish coup d'état|1960 military coup]] saw the party gradually trend towards the center-left, which was cemented once [[Bülent Ecevit]] became chairman in 1972. The CHP, along with all other political parties of the time, was banned by the [[1980 Turkish coup d'état|military junta of 1980]]. The CHP was re-established with its original name by [[Deniz Baykal]] on 9 September 1992, with the participation of a majority of its members from the pre-1980 period. Since [[2002 Turkish general election|2002]], it has been the main opposition party to the ruling [[Justice and Development Party (Turkey)|Justice and Development Party]] (AKP).<ref>{{Cite web|title=History of the CHP.|url=https://www.chp.org.tr/haberler/chp-tarihi|access-date=2021-09-18|website=chp.org.tr|language=Turkish|archive-date=18 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210918005629/https://chp.org.tr/haberler/chp-tarihi|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Özgür Özel]] is the chairman of the CHP since 8 November 2023.

CHP is an associate member of the [[Party of European Socialists]] (PES), a member of the [[Socialist International]], and the [[Progressive Alliance]]. Many politicians of CHP have declared their support for [[LGBT rights in Turkey|LGBT rights]] and [[Women in Turkey|the feminist movement]] in Turkey. The party is [[Pro-Europeanism|pro-European]] and supports Turkish membership to [[European Union]] and [[NATO]].

== History ==
===Establishment: 1919–1923===
{{See also|Turkish National Movement}}
The Republican People's Party has its origins in the resistance organizations, known as [[Association for Defence of National Rights|Defence of Rights Associations]], created in the immediate aftermath of [[World War I]] in the [[Turkish War of Independence]]. In the [[Sivas Congress]], [[Mustafa Kemal Atatürk|Mustafa Kemal Pasha (Atatürk)]] and his colleagues united the Defence of Rights Associations into the [[Association for Defence of National Rights|Association for the Defence of National Rights of Anatolia and Rumelia]] (''Anadolu ve Rumeli Müdâfaa-i Hukuk Cemiyeti'') (A–RMHC), and called for [[1920 Turkish Grand National Assembly election|elections]] in the [[Ottoman Empire]] to elect representatives associated with the organization. Most members of the A–RMHC were previously associated with the [[Committee of Union and Progress]].<ref name="Murat Sofuglu">{{cite web|url=https://www.trtworld.com/magazine/turkey-still-debates-whether-treaty-of-lausanne-was-a-fair-peace-deal-14632|author=Murat Sofuglu |title=Turks still debate whether Treaty of Lausanne was fair to Turkey|publisher=TRT World|date=26 January 2018|access-date=17 July 2019}}</ref>

After the dissolution of the [[Chamber of Deputies (Ottoman Empire)|Chamber of Deputies]], A–RMHC members proclaimed the [[Government of the Grand National Assembly|Grand National Assembly]] as a counter government from the [[Government of the late Ottoman Empire|Ottoman government]] in Istanbul. The Grand National Assembly forces militarily defeated [[Kingdom of Greece|Greece]], [[French Third Republic|France]], and [[First Republic of Armenia|Armenia]], overthrew the Ottoman government, and [[Abolition of the Ottoman sultanate|abolished the monarchy]]. After the [[1923 Turkish general election|1923 election]], the A–RMHC was transformed into a political party called the People's Party (''Halk Fırkası'') soon changing its name to Republican People's Party (''Cumhuriyet Halk Fırkası'', and then ''Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi'') (CHP). With a united parliament, the [[Proclamation of the Republic of Turkey|republic was proclaimed]] with Atatürk as its first president, the [[Treaty of Lausanne]] was ratified, and the [[Abolition of the Caliphate|Caliphate was abolished]] the next year.<ref name="Murat Sofuglu"/>

===One-party period: 1923–1950===
{{Main|One-party period of the Republic of Turkey|Atatürk's reforms}}

==== Atatürk era ====
[[File:Atatürk ve İnönü 16-06-1936.jpg|thumb|left|[[Mustafa Kemal Atatürk]] and his Prime Minister [[İsmet İnönü]], 1936. İnönü would succeed him as president and CHP chairman after his death.]]
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's People's Party began as a ''de facto'' successor of the [[Young Turks]] and the CUP. In 1924, a right-wing opposition to Atatürk led by [[Kâzım Karabekir]], reacting against the abolition of the Caliphate, formed the [[Progressive Republican Party (Turkey)|Progressive Republican Party]]. The life of the opposition party was short. The Progressive Republican Party faced allegations of involvement in the [[Sheikh Said rebellion]] and for conspiring with remaining members of the CUP to assassinate Atatürk in the [[İzmir plot|İzmir Affair]]. Atatürk's prime minister, [[İsmet İnönü]], proposed the passage of the [[:tr:Takrir-i Sükûn Kanunu|Law on Ensuring Peace]] which gave the government extraordinary powers. [[Martial law]] was declared, all political parties except the CHP were banned, all newspapers beyond state approved papers were banned (this ban would be lifted by 1930), and Karabekir's supporters were [[İzmir plot#İzmir trials and assassination plan|purged from the government]]. Republican Turkey was the third [[one-party state]] of [[Interwar period|Interwar Europe]], after the [[Soviet Union]] and [[Fascist Italy (1922–1943)|Fascist Italy]].<ref name="ck-kaynak">{{cite book|date=2016|first=Cemil|last=Koçak|pages=170, 171|publisher=Timaş Yayınları|title="Tek Parti, Cumhuriyet ve Şefler" 1.Baskı}}<!-- auto-translated by Module:CS1 translator --></ref> For the next two decades Turkey was under a [[Paternalism|paternalist]] [[One-party period of the Republic of Turkey|one-party authoritarian dictatorship]], with one interruption; another brief experiment of opposition politics through the formation of the [[Liberal Republican Party (Turkey)|Liberal Republican Party]].
[[File:CHP 4. Büyük Kurultayı.jpg|thumb|The [[Six Arrows]] statue in the garden of the [[Grand National Assembly of Turkey|Grand National Assembly]] during the 4th Republican People's Party Ordinary Convention, 1935]]
From 1924 to 1946, the CHP [[Atatürk's reforms|introduced sweeping social, cultural, educational, economic, and legal reforms]] that transformed Turkey into a [[Republicanism|republican]] nation state. Such reforms included the adoption of Swiss and Italian legal and penal codes, the acceleration of industrialization, land reform and [[rural development]] programs, nationalization of foreign assets, [[1934 Turkish Resettlement Law|forced assimilation policies]], [[Secularism in Turkey|strict secularism]], women's suffrage, and switching written Turkish from [[Ottoman Turkish alphabet|Perso-Arabic script]] into [[Turkish alphabet|Latin script]], to name a few. In the party's second ordinary congress in 1927, Atatürk delivered a thirty-six hour long [[Nutuk|speech]] of his account of the pivotal last eight years of Turkish history, which ended with an [[Atatürk's Address To Turkish Youth|appeal to the Turkish youth]] to protect the Republic. Its narrative has served as the basis of a growing [[Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's cult of personality|cult of personality associated with Atatürk]] and the [[Kemalist historiography|historiography]] of the transition to the Republic from the Sultanate. In the period of 1930–1939, Atatürk's CHP clarified its ideology from a vague left-wing-[[İttihadism|unionism]] for '[[The Six Arrows]]': [[republicanism]], [[reformism]], [[Secularism in Turkey|laïcité]] (secularism), [[populism]], [[nationalism]], and [[statism]], as well as borrowing tenets from [[communism]] and [[Fascism|(Italian) fascism]].<ref>{{cite book|author=Malik Mufti|title=Daring and Caution in Turkish Strategic Culture: Republic at Sea|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=duRwPgAACAAJ|year=2009|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan UK|isbn=9780230236387|pages=233}}</ref> They defined [[Atatürk's Main Principles|Atatürk's principles]], which were soon known as [[Kemalism]], and were codified into the [[Turkish Constitution of 1924|constitution]] on 5 February 1937. 
[[File:Cumhuriyet Halk Fırkası Halk Kürsüsü.jpg|thumb|The CHP (Then known with the acronym "CHF") sponsored many nation building projects throughout the 1930s, such as People's Courses.]]
With the [[Ottomanism]] question settled, Turkish [[nation-building]] was prioritized which saw nationalist propaganda, [[Replacement of loanwords in Turkish|language purification]], and [[Sun Language Theory|pseudo-scientific]] [[Turkish History Thesis|racial theories]] propagated. Opposition to Atatürk's reforms were suppressed by various [[Inspectorates-General (Turkey)|coercive institutions]] and military force, at the expense of religious conservatives, minorities, and communists. The party-state cracked down on Kurdish resistance to assimilation, suppressing [[Kurdish–Turkish conflict#Ararat rebellion (1927–1930)|multiple rebellions]] and encouraging the [[Denial of Kurds by Turkey|denial of their existence]]. [[Anti-clericalism|Anti-clerical]] and [[Anti-veiling campaigns in Turkey|anti-veiling campaigns]] peaked in the mid-1930s. In the party's third convention, it clarified its approach towards the [[Minorities in Turkey|religious minorities]] of the [[Christians in Turkey|Christians]] and the [[History of the Jews in Turkey|Jews]], accepting them as real Turks as long as they adhere to the national ideal and [[Citizen, speak Turkish!|use the Turkish language]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Bali|first=Rifat N.|title=Turkey Beyond Nationalism|date=27 October 2006 |publisher=I.B. Tauris|isbn=978-1-84511-141-0|editor-last=Kieser|editor-first=Hans-Lukas|editor-link=Hans-Lukas Kieser|pages=48}}</ref> However under the state sanctioned secularist climate [[Alevism|Alevis]] were able to make great strides in [[Alevi history#Turkish Republic period – Modern history|their emancipation]], and to this day make up a core constituency of the CHP. With the onset of the [[Great Depression]], the party divided into statist and liberal factions, being championed by Atatürk's prime minister İnönü and his finance minister [[Celâl Bayar|Celal Bayar]] respectively. Atatürk mostly favored İnönü's policies, so economic development of the early republic was largely confined to [[State-owned enterprises of Turkey|state-owned enterprises]] and [[Five year plan of Turkey|five-year plans]]. Further left-wing Republicans centered around the ''[[Kadro]]'' circle were deemed to be impermissible, so they were closed down.

==== İnönü era ====
On 12 November 1938, the day after Atatürk's death, his ally [[İsmet İnönü]] was elected the second president and assumed leadership of the Republican People's Party.<ref name=":2">{{Cite book|last=Macfie|first=A.L.|title=Atatürk|publisher=[[Routledge]]|year=2014|isbn=978-1-138-83-647-1|pages=182|author-link=A. L. Macfie}}</ref> İnönü's presidency saw heavy state involvement in the economy and further rural development initiatives such as [[Village Institutes]]. On foreign affairs, the [[Hatay State]] was annexed and İnönü adopted a policy of neutrality despite attempts by the [[Allies of World War II|Allies]] and [[Axis powers]] to bring Turkey into [[World War II]], during which extensive conscription and [[rationing]] was implemented to ensure an [[Armed Neutrality|armed neutrality]]. Non-Muslims especially suffered when the CHP government implemented discriminatory "[[Varlık Vergisi|wealth taxes]]," [[The Twenty Classes|labor battalions]], and [[peon]] [[Aşkale labor camp|camps]]. Over the course of the war, the CHP eventually rejected [[ultranationalism]], with [[Pan-Turkism|pan-Turkists]] being purged in the [[Racism-Turanism trials|Racism-Turanism Trials]].

In the aftermath of World War II, İnönü presided over the democratization of Turkey. With the crisis of war over, factionalism between the liberals and statists again broke out. The [[Motion with four signatures|Motion with Four Signatures]] resulted in the resignation of some CHP members, most prominently Bayar, who then founded the [[Democrat Party (Turkey, 1946–1961)|Democrat Party]] (DP). İnönü called for a [[1946 Turkish general election|multi-party general election in 1946]] – the first multi-party general election in the country's history, in a contest between the DP and CHP. The result was a victory for the CHP, which won 395 of the 465 seats, amid criticism that the election did not live up to democratic standards. Under pressure by the new conservative parliamentary opposition and the United States, the party became especially [[anti-communism|anti-communist]], and retracted some of its rural development programs and anti-clerical policies.<ref>Demirci, Fatih ''Kadro Hareketi ve Kadrocular'', Dumlupınar Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, 2006, sayı 15.</ref><ref>Ergüder, J. ''1927 Komünist Tevkifatı, "İstanbul Ağır Ceza Mahkemesindeki Duruşma"'', Birikim Yayınları, İstanbul, 1978</ref><ref>[http://www.wikisosyalizm.org/images/5/5f/K%C4%B1v%C4%B1lc%C4%B1m_yasak.jpg Başvekalet Kararlar Dairesi Müdürlüğü 15 Aralık 1937 tarih, 7829 nolu kararname] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160607200226/http://www.wikisosyalizm.org/images/5/5f/K%C4%B1v%C4%B1lc%C4%B1m_yasak.jpg|date=7 June 2016 }}. Retrieved 9 February 2019.</ref> The period between 1946 and 1950 saw İnönü prepare for a pluralistic Turkey [[Turkey in NATO|allied with the West]].<ref name=":7">{{Cite web |last=Adem |first=Mahmut |title=İsmet İnönü'nün Cumhurbaşkanlığı Döneminde Yükseköğretimdeki Gelişmeler (1938–1950) |url=https://www.ismetinonu.org.tr/ismet-inonunun-cumhurbaskanligi-doneminde-yuksekogretimdeki-gelismeler-1938-1950/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170319101245/http://www.ismetinonu.org.tr/index.php/cumhurbaskanligi-yillari/universite-ozerkligi |archive-date=19 March 2017 |website=İnönü Vakfı}}</ref><ref name=":32">{{Cite web|last=Akşin|first=Sina|title=I. DEVRİM YOLU ve KARŞI-DEVRİM GİRİŞİMLERİ |url=https://www.ismetinonu.org.tr/cok-partili-duzene-gecis/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170507015734/http://www.ismetinonu.org.tr/index.php/cok-partili-duzene-gecis |archive-date=7 May 2017 |website=İnönü Vakfı}}</ref> A more free and fair general election was held in [[1950 Turkish general election|1950]] that led to the CHP losing power to the DP. İnönü presided over a [[peaceful transition of power]]. The 1950 election marked the end of the CHP's last majority government. The party has not been able to regain a parliamentary majority in any subsequent election since.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://electionresources.org/tr/|title=Election Resources on the Internet: Elections to the Turkish Grand National Assembly|access-date=17 July 2019|author=Manuel Álvarez-Rivera}}</ref>

=== Road to the center-left: 1950–1980 ===
Due to the [[plurality voting system|winner-take-all]] system in place during the 1950s, the DP achieved landslide victories in elections that were reasonably close, meaning the CHP was in opposition for 10 years. In the meantime, the party began a long transformation into a [[Social democracy|social democratic]] force. Even before losing power İnönü created the [[Ministry of Labour and Social Security (Turkey)|ministry of labor]] and signed workers protections into law, and universities were given autonomy from the state.<ref name=":7" /> In its ninth congress in 1951, the [[Republican People's Party Youth|youth branch]] and the women's branch were founded. In 1953, the establishment of trade unions and vocational chambers was proposed, and support for a [[Bicameralism|bicameral parliament]], the establishment of a [[Constitutional Court of Turkey|constitutional court]], [[election security]], [[judicial independence]], and the [[right to strike]] for workers was added to the party program.<ref name="Ensonhaber">{{cite web|url=http://www.ensonhaber.com/inonunun-mbkye-gonderdigi-menderes-mektubu-2012-09-24.html|title=İnönü'nün MBK'ye gönderdiği Menderes mektubu|date=24 September 2012|work=Ensonhaber}}</ref>

Though the DP and CHP were rivals, the DP was founded by Republicans and mostly continued Kemalist policies. But despite its name, the Democrat Party became increasingly authoritarian by the end of its rule. İnönü was harassed and almost lynched multiple times by DP supporters, and the DP government confiscated CHP property and harassed their members. The DP blocked the CHP from forming [[:tr:Güç Birliği Cephesi|an electoral alliance]] with opposition parties for the [[1957 Turkish general election|1957 snap election]]. By 1960, the DP accused the CHP of plotting a rebellion and [[Committee of Inquest|threatened its closure]]. With the army concerned by the DP's authoritarianism, Turkey's first [[1960 Turkish coup d'état|military coup]] was performed by junior officers. After one year of [[National Unity Committee|junta rule]] the DP was banned and Prime Minister [[Adnan Menderes]] and two of his ministers were [[Yassıada trials|tried]] and executed. Right-wing parties which trace their roots to the DP have since continuously attacked the CHP for their perceived involvement in the hanging of Menderes.<ref name="Ensonhaber"/>

The CHP emerged as the first-placed party at the [[1961 Turkish general election|general election of 1961]], and formed a [[grand coalition]] with the [[Justice Party (Turkey)|Justice Party]], a successor-party to the Democrat Party. This was the [[26th government of Turkey|first coalition government]] in Turkey, which endured for seven-months. İnönü was able to form two more governments with other parties until the [[1965 Turkish general election|1965 election]]. His labor minister [[Bülent Ecevit]] was instrumental in giving Turkish workers the [[right to strike]] and [[collective bargaining]]. As leader of the [[Left of Center (Turkey)|Democratic Left]] faction in the CHP, Ecevit contributed to the party adopting the [[Left of Center (Turkey)|Left of Centre]] (''Ortanın solu'') programme for that election, which they lost against the Justice Party.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sbe.deu.edu.tr/dergi/cilt10.say%C4%B13/10.3%20esmer.pdf|title=Propaganda, Söylem ve Sloganlarla Ortanın Solu|author=Gülsüm Tütüncü Esmer|publisher=[[Dokuz Eylül University]]|language=tr|access-date=17 July 2019|archive-date=10 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211210082459/https://sbe.deu.edu.tr/dergi/cilt10.say%C4%B13/10.3%20esmer.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>

İnönü favored Ecevit's controversial faction, resulting in [[Turhan Feyzioğlu]] leaving the CHP and founding the [[Reliance Party]]. When asked about his reasoning for his favoring Ecevit, İnönü replied: "Actually we are already a left-to-center party after embracing Laïcité. If you are populist, you are [also] at the left of center."<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.ismetinonu.org.tr/index.php/cumhuriyet-halk-partisinde-gelismeler/ortanin-solu |title=İsmet İnönü foundation page by Şerafettin Turan |access-date=20 April 2023 |language=tr |archive-date=16 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180916033343/http://www.ismetinonu.org.tr/index.php/cumhuriyet-halk-partisinde-gelismeler/ortanin-solu |url-status=dead }}</ref> With Feyzioğlu's departure, the CHP participated in the [[1969 Turkish general election|1969 election]] with a Democratic Left program without qualms, though it achieved a similar result as its performance from last election due to the growing perception that the party primarily appealed to the educated urban elite. İnönü remained as opposition leader and the leader of the CHP until 8 May 1972, when he was overthrown by Ecevit in a party congress, due to his endorsement of the [[1971 Turkish military memorandum|military intervention of 1971]].

[[File:IICCR BA572 Bülent Ecevit and Nicolae Ceaușescu.jpg|thumb|[[Bülent Ecevit]] with [[Nicolae Ceaușescu]], 1978]]
Ecevit adopted a distinct [[left-wing politics|left wing]] role in politics and, although remaining staunchly nationalist, attempted to implement [[democratic socialism]] into the ideology of CHP. His arrival saw support for the party increase in the [[1973 Turkish general election|1973 election]]. After establishing a [[37th government of Turkey|coalition arrangement]] with [[National Salvation Party|an Islamist party]], Ecevit made the decision to [[Turkish invasion of Cyprus|invade Cyprus]] in an atmosphere of deteriorating order on the island. The 1970s saw the party solidify its relations with [[Trade unions in Turkey|trade unions]] and leftist groups in an atmosphere of [[Political violence in Turkey (1976–1980)|intense polarization and political violence]]. The CHP achieved its best ever result in a free and fair multi-party election under Ecevit, when in [[1977 Turkish general election|1977]], the party received 41% of the vote, but not enough support for a stable government. Ecevit and his political rival [[Süleyman Demirel]] would constantly turnover the premiership as partisan deadlock took hold. This ended in a [[1980 Turkish coup d'état|military coup in 1980]], resulting in the banning of every political party and major politicians being jailed and banned from politics.<ref>{{cite news|last=Ustel|first=Aziz|date=2008-07-14|title=Savcı, Ergenekon'u Kenan Evren'e sormalı asıl!|language=tr|work=Star Gazete|url=http://www.stargazete.com/gazete/yazar/savci-ergenekon-u-kenan-evren-e-sormali-asil-113287.htm|access-date=2019-07-07}}</ref>

===Recovery period: 1980–2002===
Both the party name "Republican People's Party" and the abbreviation "CHP" were banned until 1987. Until 1999, Turkey was ruled by the [[centre-right]] [[Motherland Party (Turkey)|Motherland Party]] (ANAP) and the [[True Path Party]] (DYP), unofficial successors of the Democrat Party and the Justice Party, as well as, briefly, by the [[Islamism|Islamist]] [[Welfare Party]]. CHP supporters also established successor parties. By 1985, [[Erdal İnönü]], İsmet İnönü's son, consolidated two successor parties to form the [[Social Democratic Populist Party (Turkey)|Social Democratic Populist Party]] (SHP), while the [[Democratic Left Party (Turkey)|Democratic Left Party]] ({{langx|tr|Demokratik Sol Parti}}, DSP) was formed by [[Rahşan Ecevit]], Bülent Ecevit's wife (Bülent Ecevit later took over the DSP in 1987).<ref name="Ciddi 79">{{Cite book|last=Ciddi|first=Sinan|title=Kemalism in Turkish Politics: The Republican People's Party, Secularism and Nationalism|date=2009-01-13|publisher=Routledge|isbn=9781134025596|pages=79|language=en}}</ref>

After the ban on pre-1980 politicians was lifted in 1987, [[Deniz Baykal]], a household name from the pre-1980 CHP, reestablished the Republican People's Party in 1992, and the SHP merged with the party in 1995. However, Ecevit's DSP remained separate, and to this day has not merged with the CHP.<ref name="Ciddi 79"/> Observers noted that the two parties held similar ideologies and split the Kemalist vote in the nineties. The CHP held an uncompromisingly secularist and establishmentalist character and supported [[Headscarf controversy in Turkey|bans of headscarves in public spaces]] and the [[Kurdish languages|Kurdish language]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Goksedef |first=Ece |date=19 April 2023 |title=Turkey's soft-spoken Kemal Kilicdaroglu takes on powerful Erdogan |work=British Broadcasting Corporation |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-65309688}}</ref>

From 1991 to 1996, the SHP and then the CHP were in coalition governments with the DYP. Baykal supported [[Mesut Yılmaz]]'s [[55th government of Turkey|coalition government]] after the collapse of the [[54th government of Turkey|Welfare-DYP coalition]] following the [[1997 Turkish military memorandum|28 February]] "[[1997 Turkish military memorandum|post-modern coup]]." However, due to the [[Türkbank scandal]], the CHP withdrew its support and helped depose the government with a [[no confidence vote]]. Ecevit's DSP formed an interim-government, during which the [[Kurdistan Workers' Party|PKK]] leader [[Abdullah Öcalan]] was captured in [[Kenya]]. As such, in the [[1999 Turkish general election|election of 1999]], the DSP benefited massively in the polls at the expense of CHP, and the party failed to exceed the 10% [[Electoral threshold|threshold]] (8.7% vote), not winning any seats.

=== Main opposition under Baykal: 2002–2010 ===
{{See also|Ulusalism}}
In the [[2002 Turkish general election|2002 general election]], the CHP came back with 20% of the vote but 32% of the seats in parliament, as only it and the new [[Justice and Development Party (Turkey)|AKP]] (Justice and Development Party) received above the 10% threshold to enter parliament. With DSP's collapse, CHP became Turkey's main Kemalist party. It also became the second largest party and the [[List of the Main Opposition Leaders of Turkey|main opposition party]], a position it has retained since. Since the dramatic 2002 election, the CHP has been racked by internal power struggles, and has been outclassed by the AKP governments of [[Recep Tayyip Erdoğan]]. Many of its members were critical of the leadership of CHP, especially Baykal, who they complained was stifling the party of young blood by turning away the young who turn either to apathy or even vote for the AKP. Baykal proclaimed the party to be the [[Deep state in Turkey|secularist establishment]]'s bulwark as he pivoted the party away from the center-left towards the center.

[[File:Protect Your Republic Protest - 6 (2007-04-14) edit.jpg|thumb|[[Republic Protests|Republic Protest]] in [[Anıtkabir]], Atatürk's mausoleum]]
In 2007, the culmination of tensions between Turkey's [[Deep state in Turkey|secularist establishment]] and AKP politicians turned into a [[2007–2008 Turkish political crisis|political crisis]]. The CHP assisted undemocratic attempts by the [[Deep state in Turkey|army and judiciary]] to shut down the newly elected AKP. The crisis began with [[Republic Protests|massive protests by secularists]] supported by the CHP in reaction to the AKP's candidate for [[2007 Turkish presidential election|that year's presidential election]]: [[Abdullah Gül]], due to his background in Islamist politics and [[Hayrünnisa Gül|his wife]]'s wearing of the [[hijab]]. The CHP's campaign focused on the alleged ''[[İrtica]]'' (Islamic reaction) that the AKP victory would bring into government, which served to alienate liberals and democrats from the party. The CHP chose to boycott the ([[Indirect election|indirect]]) election.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Çarkoğlu |first=Ali |date=20 October 2009 |title=A New Electoral Victory for the 'Pro-Islamists' or the 'New Centre-Right'? The Justice and Development Party Phenomenon in the July 2007 Parliamentary Elections in Turkey |journal=South European Society and Politics |volume=12 |issue=4 |pages=501–519 |doi=10.1080/13608740701731457 |s2cid=153992923 |doi-access=free }}</ref> Without [[quorum]], Erdoğan called for [[2007 Turkish general election|a snap election]] to increase his mandate, in which the CHP formed an electoral alliance with the declining DSP, but gained only 21% of the vote. During the campaign season, a [[e-memorandum|memorandum]] directed at the AKP was posted online by the [[Turkish Armed Forces]]. The CHP boycotted Gül's second attempt to be voted president, though this time Gül had the necessary quorum with [[Nationalist Movement Party|MHP]]'s participation and won.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Çarkoğlu |first=Ali |date=20 October 2009 |title=A New Electoral Victory for the 'Pro-Islamists' or the 'New Centre-Right'? The Justice and Development Party Phenomenon in the July 2007 Parliamentary Elections in Turkey|journal=South European Society and Politics |volume=12 |issue=4 |pages=501–519 |doi=10.1080/13608740701731457 |s2cid=153992923 |doi-access=free }}</ref> The swearing-in ceremony was boycotted by the CHP and the [[Chief of the Turkish General Staff|Chief of the General Staff]] [[Yaşar Büyükanıt]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Koylu |first=Hilal |title=Köşk'e ilk davet eşsiz |language=tr |work=[[Radikal]] |url=http://www.radikal.com.tr/haber.php?haberno=231647 |url-status=dead |access-date=15 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150216002809/http://www.radikal.com.tr/haber.php?haberno=231647 |archive-date=16 February 2015 |df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite journal |last=Selvin Korkmaz |first=Seren |date=23 May 2024 |title=The role of the opposition in autocratisation: the case of Turkey |journal=Third World Quarterly |volume=46 |issue=2 |pages=1–18 |doi=10.1080/01436597.2024.2351435 |doi-access=free }}</ref>

The party also voted against a package of constitutional amendments to have the president elected by the people instead of parliament, which was eventually [[2007 Turkish constitutional referendum|put to a referendum]]. The "no" campaign, supported by the CHP, failed, as a majority of Turks voted in favor of direct presidential elections. The final challenge against the AKP's existence was a [[2008 Justice and Development Party closure trial|2008 closure trial]] which ended without a ban. Following the decision, the AKP government, in a covert alliance with the [[Gülen movement]], began a purge of the Turkish military, judiciary, and police forces of secularists in the [[Ergenekon trials|Ergenekon]] and [[Sledgehammer (alleged coup plan)|Sledgehammer trials]], which the CHP condemned.<ref>{{Cite news |date=27 May 2016 |title=Turkey to add Gülen movement to list of terror groups: President |work=Hurriyet Daily News |url=http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkey-to-add-gulen-movement-to-list-of-terror-groups-president-.aspx?pageID=238&nID=99762&NewsCatID=338}}</ref><ref name=":3" />

Between 2002 and 2010, Turkey held three general elections and two local elections, all of which the CHP received between 18 and 23% of the vote.

In the lead up to the US-lead coalition [[2003 invasion of Iraq|invasion of Iraq]], AKP leadership failed to come to a consensus whether to participate. By a thin margin, parliament vetoed invading Iraq, due to half of the AKP's parliamentary group voting with the CHP against war.<ref>{{Cite news |date=3 November 2003 |title=Turkish Parliament Refuses to Allow U.S. Troops In |work=Deutsche Welle |url=https://www.dw.com/en/turkish-parliament-refuses-to-allow-us-troops-in/a-789744}}</ref> CHP leadership briefly held a soft [[Euroscepticism]] as the AKP government came close to an ascension plan with the [[European Union]].<ref name=":3" />

=== Main opposition under Kılıçdaroğlu: 2010–2023 ===
On 10 May 2010, Deniz Baykal announced his resignation as leader of the Republican People's Party after a [[2010 Turkish Video Tape Scandals|sex tape of him]] was leaked to the media. [[Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu]] was [[33rd Republican People's Party Ordinary Convention|elected to be the new party leader]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=10 May 2010 |title=Turkish opposition leader quits over 'sex tape' |publisher=BBC News |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8672672.stm}}</ref> Kılıçdaroğlu returned the CHP to its traditional social-democratic image and cast away its secularist-establishmentalist character. This involved building bridges to voters it has traditionally not attracted: the devout, Kurds, and right-wing voters.<ref name=":6">{{Cite news |last=Bozarslan |first=Mahmut |title=In Turkey, Erdogan challenger attracts solid Kurdish support, a decisive vote |work=Al-Monitor |url=https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2023/04/turkey-erdogan-challenger-attracts-solid-kurdish-support-decisive-vote}}</ref> However even with Kılıçdaroğlu at the helm, after five general elections, the CHP still did not win an election, receiving between only 22 and 26% of the vote in parliamentary elections. The CHP supported the unsuccessful "no" campaign in the [[2010 Turkish constitutional referendum|2010 constitutional referendum]]. In his first general election in [[2011 Turkish general election|2011]], the party increased its support by 25% but not enough to unseat the AKP. The [[Gezi Park protests|2013 Gezi Park protests]] found much support in the CHP.
[[File:Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu - Adalet Yürüyüşü crop.jpg|thumb|200px|[[Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu]] during the [[2017 March for Justice]]]]
The [[2014 Turkish presidential election|2014 presidential election]] was the first in which the position would be directly elected and came just after [[2013 corruption scandal in Turkey|a massive corruption scandal]]. The CHP and MHP's joint candidate [[Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu]] still lost to Erdoğan with only 38% of the vote. The two parties were critical of the government's [[2013–2015 PKK–Turkey peace process|negotiations for peace with the PKK]], which lasted from 2013–July 2015. In the [[June 2015 Turkish general election|June 2015 general election]], the AKP lost its parliamentary majority due to the debut of the pro-Kurdish [[Peoples' Democratic Party (Turkey)|People's Democratic Party]] (HDP), which was possible because of [[strategic voting]] by CHP voters so the party could pass the 10% threshold.<ref name=":52"/> Coalition talks went nowhere. MHP ruled out partaking in a government with HDP in a CHP lead government and the CHP refused to govern with the AKP after weeks of negotiations. In a snap election held that [[November 2015 Turkish general election|November]], the AKP regained their parliamentary majority as well as MHP's support.

Kılıçdaroğlu supported the government in the [[2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt|2016 coup d'état attempt]], the [[2016–present purges in Turkey|subsequent purges]], and [[Turkish involvement in the Syrian civil war|incursions into Syria]].<ref name=":52">{{Cite news |last=Toksabay |first=Ece |date=25 August 2016 |title=Turkish opposition leader targeted by Kurdish militants – minister |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-turkey-security-opposition-idUKKCN11019P}}</ref> This support went so far as to help the government pass a law to lift [[Parliamentary immunity in Turkey|parliamentary immunities]], resulting in the jailing of MPs from the HDP, including [[Selahattin Demirtaş]], as well as CHP lawmakers.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Zaman |first=Amberin |title=Meet Kemal Kilicdaroglu, Turkey's long-derided opposition head who could dethrone Erdogan |work=Al-Monitor |url=https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2023/03/meet-kemal-kilicdaroglu-turkeys-long-derided-opposition-head-who-could-dethrone}}</ref> The party lead the unsuccessful [[2017 Turkish constitutional referendum "No" campaign|"no" campaign]] for the [[2017 Turkish constitutional referendum|2017 constitutional referendum]].

[[File:Yavaş, Kılıçdaroğlu, İmamoğlu (2023-03-06).jpg|thumb|right|200px|Mayor of Ankara [[Mansur Yavaş]], Leader of CHP [[Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu]] and Mayor of Istanbul [[Ekrem İmamoğlu]]]]
By 2017, dissidents from MHP founded the [[Good Party]]. Kılıçdaroğlu was instrumental in the facilitating the rise of the new party by transferring MPs so they would have a parliamentary group to compete in the 2018 election. In the [[2018 Turkish general election|2018 general election]] the CHP, Good Party, [[Felicity Party|Felicity]], and [[Democrat Party (Turkey, current)|Democrat Party]] established the [[Nation Alliance (Turkey)|Nation Alliance]] to challenge the AKP and MHP's [[People's Alliance (Turkey)|People's Alliance]].<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |title=The "Nation Alliance" officially forms |url=https://www.sozcu.com.tr/2018/gundem/millet-ittifaki-resmen-kuruldu-iste-detaylar-2389681/|access-date=2021-09-18 |website=amp.dw.com |date=5 May 2018 |language=Turkish}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title='Millet ittifakı' resmen kuruldu: Protokolün detayları ortaya çıktı |url=https://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr/haber/millet-ittifaki-resmen-kuruldu-protokolun-detaylari-ortaya-cikti-969564 |access-date=2021-09-18 |website=cumhuriyet.com.tr|date=5 May 2018 }}</ref> Though CHP's vote was reduced to 22%, strategic voting for the other parties yielded the alliance 33% of the vote. Their candidate for president: [[Muharrem İnce]], lost in the first round, receiving only 30% of the vote. The Nation Alliance was re-established for the [[2019 Turkish local elections|2019 local elections]], which saw great gains for the CHP, capturing nearly 30% of the electorate. A tacit collaboration with the HDP allowed for CHP to win the municipal mayoralties of [[Istanbul|İstanbul]] and [[Ankara]].<ref name=":6" />

Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu was nominated as the CHP and the Nation Alliance candidate for the [[2023 Turkish general election|2023 presidential election]]. [[Ekrem İmamoğlu]] and [[Mansur Yavaş]], mayors of İstanbul and Ankara respectively, along with other party leaders in Nation Alliance, ran to be his vice-presidents. Despite the government's lackluster response to the [[Turkish economic crisis (2018–current)|economic crisis]], [[COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey|COVID-19 pandemic]], and the [[2023 Turkey–Syria earthquake|Kahramanmaraş earthquake]], Kılıçdaroğlu lost his bid to Erdoğan after taking the race to a run-off and receiving 48% of the vote. The Nation Alliance again lost the [[2023 Turkish parliamentary election|parliamentary election]] to the ruling People's Alliance. Smaller parties to the CHP's right ran on its lists, which resulted in them receiving 35 seats in parliament for minimal electoral gains. At the 38th ordinary party congress held shortly after the election, [[Özgür Özel]] was elected leader of the CHP, defeating the incumbent Kılıçdaroğlu who had held the position since 2010.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Gumrukcu |first1=Tuvan |last2=Altayli |first2=Birsen |title=Turkey's main opposition elects Ozel as new leader in local elections run-up |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/turkeys-main-opposition-elects-ozgur-ozel-new-leader-run-up-local-elections-2023-11-05/ |website=Reuters |access-date=22 November 2023}}</ref>

=== Main opposition under Özel: 2023–present ===
The party won a major victory in the [[2024 Turkish local elections|2024 local elections]]. CHP mayors were reelected in Istanbul and Ankara, along with new victories in rural Aegean and Central Anatolian provinces. Since [[1977 Turkish general election|1977]], this was the first time the CHP won the popular vote winning 37.8% of the electorate, and was the AKP's first nation-wide defeat.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ebrahim |first=Scott McLean, Mohammed Tawfeeq, Nadeen |date=2024-04-01 |title=Turkey's Erdogan dealt major election blow as opposition party wins big cities |url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/04/01/middleeast/turkey-local-election-blow-erdogan-opposition-mime-intl/index.html |access-date=2024-04-01 |website=CNN |language=en}}</ref>

[[Ekrem İmamoğlu]], the CHP mayor of Istanbul, [[Arrest of Ekrem İmamoğlu|was detained and later arrested]] by police in March 2025, along with over 100 other individuals. [[2025 Turkish protests|Major protests]] occurred immediately following the arrests across the country, with CHP officials backing the protesters.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-03-19 |title=Ekrem Imamoglu: Protests erupt in Turkey after Erdogan rival arrested |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5yren8mxp8o |access-date=2025-03-24 |website=www.bbc.com |language=en-GB}}</ref> [[2025 Republican People's Party presidential primary|The party's primary election]] to choose its nominee for president in 2028 took place on 23 March, the day of İmamoğlu's arrest, which he won in a landslide.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Michaelson |first1=Ruth |last2=Ali |first2=Faisal |date=2025-03-23 |title=Istanbul mayor jailed on day of likely presidential nomination |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/23/istanbul-mayor-ekrem-imamoglu-arrested-pre-trial-detention |access-date=2025-03-24 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

== Factions ==

=== Reformists ===
Reformists ([[Turkish language|Turkish]]: ''Değişimciler'') is a colloquial term for the social democratic and progressive opposition to [[Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu]] that emerged following the [[2023 Turkish presidential election]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Laleoğlu |first=Baki |date=2023-11-11 |title=Özgür Özel'in Görevi ve CHP'nin Değişim Potansiyeli |url=https://www.setav.org/yorum/ozgur-ozelin-gorevi-ve-chpnin-degisim-potansiyeli |journal=SETA |language=tr}}</ref> The morning after the election, [[Ekrem İmamoğlu]] posted a video on his official [[Twitter]] account, calling for "change" in the CHP and Turkey.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Merkezi |first=Haber |date=2023-05-29 |title=İmamoğlu: "Aynı şeyleri yaparak farklı sonuç beklemeyeceğiz" |url=https://medyascope.tv/2023/05/29/imamoglu-ayni-seyleri-yaparak-farkli-sonuc-beklemeyecegiz/ |access-date=2025-02-11 |website=Medyascope |language=tr}}</ref> On 19 July 2023, a 14-minute part of the Zoom conference between İmamoğlu and other prominent CHP officials, discussing the future strategies of the party, was leaked on [[YouTube]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-07-19 |title=CHP'de kaydı internete sızan toplantı tartışma yarattı: Katılımcılar ve Genel Merkez ne diyor? |url=https://www.bbc.com/turkce/articles/clwzq72pj85o |access-date=2025-02-11 |website=BBC News Türkçe |language=tr}}</ref> The meeting was held without the knowledge of the then-CHP leader, Kılıçdaroğlu, and it sparked outrage of some factions in the party.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-07-19 |title=İmamoğlu, 'CHP'li kurmaylarla toplantısının sızması' hakkında konuştu |url=https://tr.euronews.com/2023/07/19/ekrem-imamoglunun-chpli-kurmaylarla-yaptigi-toplanti-kaydi-sizdirildi-hicbir-gizli-tarafi- |access-date=2025-02-11 |website=euronews |language=tr}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-07-19 |title=Ekrem İmamoğlu'nun gizli 'zoom' toplantısı ifşa oldu... İşte CHP'de 'değişim' planı |url=https://www.veryansintv.com/ekrem-imamoglunun-gizli-zoom-toplantisi-ifsa-oldu-iste-chpde-degisim-plani |access-date=2025-02-11 |website=Veryansın TV |language=tr}}</ref>

In the meanwhile, reformists announced a website called "İktidar İçin Değişim", expressing the future plans for both the CHP and Turkey. The manifesto focused on change in the opposition<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-04-07 |title=İmamoğlu'ndan 'değişim' manifestosu: 'İktidar için değişim' sitesi yayında! |url=https://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr/turkiye/imamoglundan-degisim-manifestosu-iktidar-icin-degisim-sitesi-yayinda-2096247 |access-date=2025-02-11 |website=www.cumhuriyet.com.tr |language=tr}}</ref> and emphasized democratization, inclusivity, and mass participation in the decision-making process.<ref>{{Cite web |title=İktidar İçin Değişim |url=https://iktidaricindegisim.org/hedefimiz-partimizde-ve-ulkemizde-degisim.html |access-date=2025-02-11 |website=iktidaricindegisim.org |language=tr}}</ref>

The [[38th Republican People's Party Ordinary Convention]] was originally set for summer 2022, but the Party Assembly postponed it to November 2023, in accordance with the national [[COVID-19 pandemic|COVID-19]] measures.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tuncer |first=Anıl Can |date=2022-01-15 |title=CHP kurultayı bir yıl ertelendi - Diken |url=https://www.diken.com.tr/chp-kurultayi-bir-yil-ertelendi/ |access-date=2025-02-11 |language=tr}}</ref> The convention was held on 4–5 November 2023, which was won by [[Özgür Özel]], by first a slight margin, but then a landslide victory in the runoff.<ref>{{Cite web |title=CHP'nin yeni genel başkanı Özgür Özel oldu |url=https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/politika/chpnin-yeni-genel-baskani-ozgur-ozel-oldu-/3044068 |access-date=2025-02-11 |website=www.aa.com.tr}}</ref> Following the change in the office, CHP introduced many changes in its bylaw, including a term limit for MPs,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-09-07 |title=CHP'nin tüzüğü değişti: Milletvekillerine dönem kuralı |url=https://tr.euronews.com/2024/09/07/chpnin-tuzugu-degisti-milletvekillerine-donem-kurali |access-date=2025-02-11 |website=euronews |language=tr}}</ref> a 50% women and 30% youth quota in internal bodies,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-09-05 |title=CHP Olağanüstü Tüzük Kurultayı: Muhaliflerin önergeleri reddedildi, 28 maddelik değişiklik kabul edildi |url=https://www.bbc.com/turkce/articles/cpdl7x8wn92o |access-date=2025-02-11 |website=BBC News Türkçe |language=tr}}</ref> wider representation for disabled people,<ref>{{Cite web |last=YetkinReport |date=2024-09-07 |title=CHP kurultayda kapsamlı tüzük değişikliğini onayladı |url=https://yetkinreport.com/2024/09/07/chp-kurultayda-kapsamli-tuzuk-degisikligini-onayladi/ |access-date=2025-02-11 |website=Yetkin Report |language=tr-TR}}</ref> and primaries.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Arslan |first=Bişar |date=2024-09-06 |title=CHP'de tüzük değişikliği oy çokluğuyla kabul edildi - Diken |url=https://www.diken.com.tr/chpde-tuzuk-degisikligi-oy-cokluguyla-kabul-edildi/ |access-date=2025-02-11 |language=tr}}</ref>

Under the reformist leadership, CHP achieved an unexpected victory by defeating Erdoğan's [[Justice and Development Party (Turkey)|AK Party]] in the [[2024 Turkish local elections]], for the first time in two decades.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2024-03-31 |title=Turkish local elections: Opposition stuns Erdogan with historic victory |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-68704375 |access-date=2025-02-11 |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last1=Michaelson |first1=Ruth |last2=Aldatmaz |first2=Ayça |date=2024-03-31 |title=Turkey's opposition party sweeps to local elections victory in snub to Erdoğan |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/mar/31/turkey-local-elections-istanbul-mayor-ekrem-imamoglu-recep-tayyip-erdogan |access-date=2025-02-11 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> In addition to mayors, the party also guaranteed majority in the municipal councils of many key cities, such as [[Municipal Council of Istanbul|Istanbul]] and [[Ankara]]. It alleviated the ruling AK Party's obstructions to municipalities already held by CHP.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-04-01 |title=İstanbul ve Ankara'da CHP'nin yerel seçimlerde Meclis çoğunluğunu sağlamasıyla neler değişecek? |url=https://www.bbc.com/turkce/articles/cw4zmdj40pgo |access-date=2025-02-11 |website=BBC News Türkçe |language=tr}}</ref> Days after the elections, with the refreshed delegates, Ekrem İmamoğlu was elected the President of the Turkish Municipalities Union by a landslide margin, handing over a central government body to CHP for the first time since 1977.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Özgenç |first=Özgecan |date=2024-06-05 |title=Ekrem İmamoğlu Türkiye Belediyeler Birliği Başkanı seçildi |url=https://medyascope.tv/2024/06/05/ekrem-imamoglu-turkiye-belediyeler-birligi-baskani-secildi/ |access-date=2025-02-11 |website=Medyascope |language=tr}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Belediyeler Birliği: Ekrem İmamoğlu için yeni güç mü? – DW – 07.06.2024 |url=https://www.dw.com/tr/belediyeler-birli%C4%9Fi-ekrem-i%CC%87mamo%C4%9Flu-i%C3%A7in-yeni-g%C3%BC%C3%A7-m%C3%BC/a-69298140 |access-date=2025-02-11 |website=dw.com |language=tr}}</ref>{{Gallery|Özgür Özel 2023 (cropped).jpg|{{center|[[Leader of the Republican People's Party]]<br>'''[[Özgür Özel]]'''}}|Ekrem İmamoğlu 7 March 2024 (cropped).png|{{center|[[Mayor of Istanbul]]<br>'''[[Ekrem İmamoğlu]]'''}}|title=|align=center|footer=|style=|state=|mode=packed|height=150|width=60|captionstyle=}}

=== Ulusalists ===
{{main|Ulusalism}}

Ulusalists (lit. nationalists) are a vague group within the CHP that encompasses of hardliner [[Kemalism|Kemalists]] and [[Right-wing populism|populists]] who draw attention to the safeguarding of the [[Secularism in Turkey|secular republic]] and the [[Atatürk's reforms|Turkish Revolution]]. Ulusalists disagreed with the then-CHP leadership in regards to reaching out to Kurds, and consolidated grounds to run against Kılıçdaroğlu.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Ete |first=Hatem |date=2013-01-26 |title=CHP'de Ulusalcılık Tartışmaları |url=https://www.setav.org/video/chpde-ulusalcilik-tartismalari |journal=SETA |language=tr}}</ref> They were eventually defeated at the [[18th Republican People's Party Extraordinary Convention]], causing most prominent figures to leave the CHP.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bozan |first=İrfan |date=2018-01-18 |title=Kocasakal öncesi CHP'deki ulusalcı çıkışların akıbeti |url=https://medyascope.tv/2018/01/18/kocasakal-oncesi-chpdeki-ulusalci-cikislarin-akibeti/ |access-date=2025-02-11 |website=Medyascope |language=tr}}</ref> [[Muharrem İnce]], who ran for [[2018 Turkish presidential election|president in 2018]], founded the [[Homeland Party (Turkey, 2021)|Homeland Party]], a populist<ref>{{Cite web |last=Oksijen |first=Gazete |date=2023-07-04 |title=Lümpenleşme, popülizm, tedirgin iyimserlik arasına sıkışmak |url=https://gazeteoksijen.com/yazarlar/bekir-agirdir/lumpenlesme-populizm-tedirgin-iyimserlik-arasina-sikismak-175012 |access-date=2025-02-11 |website=Gazete Oksijen |language=tr-TR}}</ref> and self-identified [[Kemalism|Kemalist]] political party that was proposed as an alternative to the CHP.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-02-08 |title=CHP'den Ayrılan İnce Memleket Hareketi'ni Partiye Dönüştürüyor |url=https://www.voaturkce.com/a/chp-den-ayrilan-ince-memleket-hareketini-partiye-donusturuyor/5769693.html |access-date=2025-02-11 |website=VOA Türkçe |language=tr}}</ref>

Though the Ulusalists no longer pose a united front, there are still some politicians that confront the CHP leadership. Tanju Özcan, the Mayor of [[Bolu]], is an instance.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ulusalcılar Parti Meclisi'ni topluyor; Tanju Özcan konuşma yapacak! |url=https://www.bolutakip.com/ulusalcilar-parti-meclisini-topluyor-tanju-ozcan-konusma-yapacak |access-date=2025-02-13 |website=Bolu Takip Gazetesi |language=tr}}</ref> He is known for excessive xenophobist policies against [[Syrians in Turkey|Syrian migrants]], such as raising water bills<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2021-07-26 |title=Bolu Belediye Başkanı'ndan ırkçı uygulama: Mültecilere 10 kat fazla su faturası |url=https://www.gazeteduvar.com.tr/bolu-belediye-baskanindan-irkci-uygulama-multecilere-10-kat-fazla-su-faturasi-haber-1529631 |access-date=2025-02-13 |website=Gazete Duvar |language=tr-TR}}</ref> and marriage fees merely for the residents of foreign origin.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bolu'da yabancılara su dolarla, nikah 100 bin TL |url=https://bianet.org/haber/bolu-da-yabancilara-su-dolarla-nikah-100-bin-tl-253725 |access-date=2025-02-13 |website=bianet.org |language=tr}}</ref> A criminal investigation was eventually carried out by the Public Prosecutor's Office, in which he admitted that his actions were against law.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2025-01-05 |title='Hukuksuzluk' itirafı üzerine hakkında soruşturma açılan Tanju Özcan: Yapmaya devam edeceğim |url=https://artigercek.com/guncel/hukuksuzluk-yaptigini-soyledigi-icin-hakkinda-sorusturma-acilan-tanju-ozcan-yapmaya-devam-edecegim-330182h |access-date=2025-02-13 |website=Artı Gerçek |language=tr}}</ref> Özcan was dismissed from the CHP in 2022,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-09-26 |title=Tanju Özcan, 1 yıl CHP üyeliğinden çıkarıldı |url=https://www.indyturk.com/node/557011/siyaset/tanju-%C3%B6zcan-1-y%C4%B1l-chp-%C3%BCyeli%C4%9Finden-%C3%A7%C4%B1kar%C4%B1ld%C4%B1 |access-date=2025-02-13 |website=Independent Türkçe |language=tr}}</ref> but the new reformist leadership pardoned him.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2023-11-27 |title=CHP Tanju Özcan'ı bağışladı: "Genel Başkanımız ve ekibinin 'değişim' konusunda ne kadar kararlı olduğunu görmüş olduk" |url=https://medyascope.tv/2023/11/27/tanju-ozcan-chpye-geri-dondu/ |access-date=2025-02-13 |website=Medyascope |language=tr}}</ref>

=== Y-CHP ===
{{main|New Republican People's Party}}
The New Republican People's Party ([[Turkish language|Turkish]]: ''Yeni Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi''), abbreviated Y-CHP, is a term that was first derived from the [[New Labour]] and is nowadays used in a pejorative sense to denote the fundamental reforms under Kılıçdaroğlu leadership to liberalize the CHP into becoming a centrist political party that addresses broader communities.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2023-11-03 |title=CHP'nin savruluş kongreleri... Kemalizm'den Batı liberalliğine, Ortanın Solu'ndan Y-CHP'ye |url=https://www.odatv.com/guncel/chpnin-savrulus-kongreleri-kemalizmden-bati-liberalligine-ortanin-solundan-y-chpye-120009600 |access-date=2025-02-13 |website=Odatv |language=tr}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-07-31 |title=CHP'nin ideolojisi: Nasıl bir geçmişten geliyor? Nasıl bir geleceğe gidiyor? |url=https://www.bbc.com/turkce/articles/cy7yy1dy755o |access-date=2025-02-13 |website=BBC News Türkçe |language=tr}}</ref>

== Ideology and political positions ==
The Republican People's Party is a [[centre-left]]<ref>{{cite news |author=Uras, Umut |date=29 March 2019 |title=New test for Erdogan: What's at stake in Turkish local elections? |publisher=Al Jazeera|location=Istanbul|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/07/erdogan-turkey-aims-jointly-produce-400s-russia-190715164732765.html |access-date=15 July 2019}}</ref> political party that espouses [[social democracy]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi – Parti İçi Eğitim Birimi |url=http://partiiciegitim.chp.org.tr/dosyalar/mevzuat/CHP-Tuzuk.pdf |access-date=1 January 2017 |archive-date=13 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220413193234/https://partiokulu.chp.org.tr/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="gjia.georgetown.edu22">{{Cite web |date=2020-08-06 |title=The Republican People's Party (CHP) is Complicit in the Erosion of Democracy in Turkey|url=https://gjia.georgetown.edu/2020/08/06/the-republican-peoples-party-chp-is-complicit-in-the-erosion-of-democracy-in-turkey/ |access-date=2022-02-01 |website=Georgetown Journal of International Affairs |language=en-US}}</ref> and [[Kemalism]].<ref name="HalmSezgin20132">{{cite book |author=Liza Mügge |title=Migration and Organized Civil Society: Rethinking National Policy |publisher=Routledge |year=2013 |isbn=978-1-136-24650-0 |editor1=Dirk Halm|page=167|chapter=Brussels Calling: The European organisation of migrants from Turkey |editor2=Zeynep Sezgin |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ppYM_NZJsJUC&pg=PA167}}</ref> The CHP describes itself as a ''modern social democratic party, which is faithful to the founding principles and values of the Republic of Turkey".<ref>[http://www.chp.org.tr/wp-content/uploads/Se%C3%A7im_Bildirgesi-.pdf Seçim Bildirgesi (''Election Manifesto'')], ''Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi'', page 4. {{in lang|tr}} {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110427232355/http://www.chp.org.tr/wp-content/uploads/Se%C3%A7im_Bildirgesi-.pdf|date=27 April 2011}}</ref><ref name="Nordsieck2">{{cite web |last=Nordsieck |first=Wolfram |year=2018 |title=Turkey |url=http://parties-and-elections.eu/turkey.html |access-date=1 September 2018 |website=Parties and Elections in Europe}}</ref>

The distance between the party administration and many leftist grassroots, especially left-oriented [[Kurdish people|Kurdish]] voters, contributed to the party's shift away from the political left.<ref>{{cite book |author=Güneş Ayata|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=u8xqDwAAQBAJ |title=CHP (Örgüt ve İdeoloji) |publisher=Gündoğan Yayınları |year=1992 |isbn=9755200452 |pages=320}}</ref> 
Some leftists critical of Kemalism criticize the party's continuous opposition to the removal of [[Article 301 (Turkish penal code)|Article 301]] of the Turkish penal code, which caused people to be prosecuted for "insulting Turkishness" including [[Elif Shafak|Elif Şafak]] and [[Nobel Prize]] winner author [[Orhan Pamuk]], its conviction of Turkish-Armenian journalist [[Hrant Dink]], its attitude towards [[minorities in Turkey]], as well as its [[Cyprus problem|Cyprus policy]].{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}}

Numerous politicians from the party have espoused support for [[LGBT rights in Turkey|LGBT rights]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=CHP'li Böke'den Alperen Ocakları'na sert tepki: Tehdide seyirci kalmayız |date=15 June 2016 |url=https://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr/haber/chpli-bokeden-alperen-ocaklarina-sert-tepki-tehdide-seyirci-kalmayiz-551809}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=CHP'li Mahmut Tanal 'Trans Onur Yürüyüşü'nde TOMA'nın üzerine çıktı |url=https://www.ntv.com.tr/galeri/turkiye/chpli-mahmut-tanal-tomanin-uzerine-cikti,AssAhAjwQEmhvVhqz2ck9g}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=CHP'den LGBT'ler için İş Kanunu teklifi |url=https://kaosgl.org/haber/chprsquoden-lgbtrsquoler-icin-is-kanunu-teklifi}}</ref> and [[Women in Turkey|the feminist movement]] in Turkey.

Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu and then Özgür Özel have repeatedly called for [[Selahattin Demirtaş]] and [[Osman Kavala]] to be released from jail.<ref>{{Cite news |date=21 October 2021 |title=Main opposition leader calls for release of Kavala, Demirtaş |work=Duvar English |url=https://www.duvarenglish.com/main-opposition-chp-leader-kemal-kilicdaroglu-calls-for-release-of-kavala-demirtas-news-59175}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-11-06 |title=CHP'de ''değişim'' sözde kaldı! Özgür Özel de Kavala ve Demirtaş'a selam gönderdi – Gündem Haberi {{!}} Yirmidort |url=https://www.yirmidort.tv/gundem/chpde-degisim-sozde-kaldi-ozgur-ozel-de-kavala-ve-demirtasa-selam-gonderdi-129099 |access-date=2024-03-31 |website=www.yirmidort.tv |language=tr}}</ref>

=== Foreign policy ===
{{See also|Peace at Home, Peace in the World}}
The party holds a significant position in the [[Socialist International]],<ref>[http://www.socialistinternational.org/maps/english/europe.htm Socialist International – List of member parties] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070807101854/http://www.socialistinternational.org/maps/english/europe.htm|date=7 August 2007}}</ref> [[Progressive Alliance]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Parties & Organisations |url=http://progressive-alliance.info/network/parties-and-organisations/ |access-date=19 April 2019 |publisher=[[Progressive Alliance]]}}</ref> and is an associate member of the [[Party of European Socialists]]. In 2014, the CHP urged the Socialist International to accept the [[Republican Turkish Party]] of [[Northern Cyprus]] as a full member.<ref>{{cite web |date=22 May 2016 |title=Parti Tüzüğü |url=https://www.cumhuriyetciturkpartisi.org/tuzuk.html |access-date=17 July 2019 |publisher=cumhuriyetciturkpartisi.org |language=tr |archive-date=10 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200610000731/https://cumhuriyetciturkpartisi.org/tuzuk.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

During the [[Gaza war]], Chairman Özgür Özel accused [[Israel]] of committing [[Israel and state-sponsored terrorism|state sanctioned terrorism]] on the Palestinian people, declaring "The Turkish left is never far from the Palestinian cause."<ref>{{Cite web |date=24 March 2024 |title=CHP Genel Başkanı Özel: İsrail, devlet terörü yapıyor |url=https://www.ntv.com.tr/turkiye/chp-genel-baskani-ozel-israil-devlet-teroru-yapiyor,nRcFDtEnCUSUvRvYPT0ctg |website=NTV}}</ref> Özel considers Hamas' [[October 7 attack]] against Israeli civilians "an act of terrorism."<ref>{{Cite web |title=CHP Lideri Özgür Özel: Hamas teröristtir |url=https://www.salom.com.tr/haber/133937/chp-lideri-ozgur-ozel-hamas-teroristtir |website=Şalom |date=February 2024 |access-date=February 24, 2025}}</ref>

The CHP has supported Turkey's interventions in the Middle East. While it still supports Turkish intervention in [[Turkish involvement in the Libyan Civil War|Libya]], it has voted against intervention in [[Iraq–Turkey relations#Turkish military presence in Iraq|Iraq]] since 2021;<ref>{{Cite news |date=26 October 2021 |title=Turkey extends Syria and Iraq military missions by two years |work=Al Jazeera |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/10/26/turkey-extends-syria-and-iraq-military-missions-by-two-years}}</ref> since 2023, it has also voted against intervention in [[Turkish involvement in the Syrian civil war|Syria]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=11 October 2023 |title=MHP'den Kılıçdaroğlu'na tezkere yanıtı: Kaderdaşlarına kıyamıyor |url=https://www.gazeteduvar.com.tr/mhpden-kilicdarogluna-tezkere-yaniti-kaderdaslarina-kiyamiyor-haber-1641779 |website=Gazete Duvar}}</ref>

The party is [[Pro-Europeanism|pro-European]] and supports Turkish membership to the [[European Union]]. They also support Turkish membership to [[NATO]] and the expansion of the alliance.<ref>{{cite book |title=Democracy, Islam, and Secularism in Turkey |publisher=Columbia University Press |year=2012 |isbn=9780231159333 |editor1=Alfred Stepan |page=184, paragraph 2 |chapter=The European Union and the Justice and Development Party |editor2=Ahmet T. Kuru |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=di6YdRMZMO0C&pg=PA184}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/turkeys-top-election-challenger-pledges-closer-ties-to-nato-and-eu-bee59738|title=Turkey's Top Election Challenger Pledges Closer Ties to NATO and EU|website=[[Wall Street Journal]]|accessdate=5 October 2023}}</ref> The party MPs voted overwhelmingly in favor of both [[Finland-NATO relations|Finland]]'s and [[Sweden–NATO relations#2022–2024 accession process|Sweden's accession into NATO]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Yazıcıoğlu |first=Yıldız |date=26 December 2023 |title=İsveç için gözler artık 2024'ün başında TBMM'de |url=https://www.voaturkce.com/a/isvec-icin-gozler-2024un-basinda-tbmmde/7413513.html |website=Voice of America}}</ref>

== Electorate ==
[[File:Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi Building in Ankara (Република Турска).jpg|thumb|Party headquarters in Ankara, showing a banner urging a "no" vote in the [[2017 Turkish constitutional referendum|2017 referendum on establishing a presidential system]].]]
The CHP draws its support from professional middle-class [[Secularism|secular]] and liberally religious voters. It has traditional ties to the middle and upper-middle classes such as [[white-collar worker]]s, retired generals, and [[civil service|government bureaucrats]] as well as academics, college students, left-leaning intellectuals and labour unions such as [[Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey|DİSK]].<ref name=":0">{{cite web|date=3 March 2019|title=CHP'li Kani Beko: Grevin kazananı olmaz|url=https://t24.com.tr/haber/chp-li-kani-beko-grevin-kazanani-olmaz,810601|access-date=17 July 2019|publisher=t24.com.tr|language=tr}}</ref> The party also appeals to minority groups such as [[Alevism|Alevis]]. According to ''[[The Economist]]'', "to the dismay of its own leadership the CHP's core constituency, as well as most of its MPs, are Alevis."<ref name="electorate">{{cite news |date=6 February 2016 |title=Identity: Proud to be a Turk: But what does it mean? |newspaper=[[The Economist]] |url=https://www.economist.com/news/special-report/21689879-what-does-it-mean-proud-be-turk?fsrc=rss |access-date=8 February 2016}}</ref> The party's former leader, [[Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu]], was also an Alevi.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Kılıçdaroğlu Alevi olduğu için Erdoğan yüzde 67 oy alacak |language=tr-TR |work=odatv.com |url=https://odatv.com/kilicdaroglu-alevi-oldugu-icin-erdogan-yuzde-67-oy-alacak-09021805.html |access-date=2018-04-25}}</ref>

The CHP also draws much of their support from voters of big cities and coastal regions. The party's strongholds are the west of the [[Aegean Region]] ([[İzmir Province|İzmir]], [[Aydın Province|Aydın]], [[Muğla Province|Muğla]]), the northwest of the [[Marmara Region]] ([[East Thrace|Turkish Thrace]]; [[Edirne Province|Edirne]], [[Kırklareli Province|Kırklareli]], [[Tekirdağ Province|Tekirdağ]], [[Çanakkale Province|Çanakkale]]), the east of the [[Black Sea Region]] ([[Ardahan Province|Ardahan]] and [[Artvin Province|Artvin]]), and the Anatolian [[Eskişehir|college town of Eskişehir]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=CHP Seçim Sonuçları: 31 Mart 2019 CHP Yerel Seçim Sonuçları|url=https://www.sozcu.com.tr/secim2019/chp_7 |access-date=2021-09-18 |website=Sözcü |language=tr}}</ref>

== Party leaders ==
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! No.
! width=150|Name<br /><small>(Born–Died)</small>
! Portrait
! colspan=2|Term in Office
|-
| style="background: {{party color|Republican People's Party (Turkey)}}; color:white;"|'''''1'''''
| [[Mustafa Kemal Atatürk]]<br /><small>(1881–[[Death and state funeral of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk|1938]])</small> || [[File:Ataturk1930s.jpg|Mustafa Kemal Atatürk|60px]] || 9 September 1923 || 10 November 1938
|-
| style="background: {{party color|Republican People's Party (Turkey)}}; color:white;"|'''''2'''''
| [[İsmet İnönü]]<br /><small>(1884–1973)</small> || [[File:Inonu Ismet.jpg|İsmet İnönü|60px]] || 26 December 1938 || 8 May 1972
|-
| style="background: {{party color|Republican People's Party (Turkey)}}; color:white;"|'''''3'''''
| [[Bülent Ecevit]]<br /><small>(1925–2006)</small> || [[File:Bülent Ecevit (cropped).jpg|Bülent Ecevit|75x75px]]|| 14 May 1972 || 30 October 1980
|-
! colspan=5|''Party closed down following the [[1980 Turkish coup d'état|12 September 1980 coup d'état]]''
|-
| style="background: {{party color|Republican People's Party (Turkey)}}; color:white;"|'''''4'''''
| [[Deniz Baykal]]<br /><small>(1938–2023)</small> || [[File:Deniz Baykal headshot.jpg|Deniz Baykal|60px]] || 9 September 1992 || 18 February 1995
|-
| style="background: {{party color|Republican People's Party (Turkey)}}; color:white;"|'''''5'''''
| [[Hikmet Çetin]]<br /><small>(1937–)</small> || [[File:Hikmet Çetin.jpg|Hikmet Çetin|60px]] || 18 February 1995 || 9 September 1995
|-
| style="background: {{party color|Republican People's Party (Turkey)}}; color:white;"|'''''(4)'''''
| [[Deniz Baykal]]<br /><small>(1938–2023)</small> || [[File:Deniz Baykal headshot.jpg|Deniz Baykal|60px]] || 9 September 1995 || 23 May 1999
|-
| style="background: {{party color|Republican People's Party (Turkey)}}; color:white;"|'''''6'''''
| [[Altan Öymen]]<br /><small>(1932–)</small> || || 23 May 1999 || 30 September 2000
|-
| style="background: {{party color|Republican People's Party (Turkey)}}; color:white;"|'''''(4)'''''
| [[Deniz Baykal]]<br /><small>(1938–2023)</small> || [[File:Deniz Baykal2.jpg|Deniz Baykal|60px]] || 30 September 2000 || 10 May 2010
|-
| style="background: {{party color|Republican People's Party (Turkey)}}; color:white;"|'''''7'''''
| [[Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu]]<br /><small>(1948–)</small> || [[File:Kemal Kilicdaroglu cropped.png|Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu|60px]] || 22 May 2010 || 5 November 2023
|-
| style="background: {{party color|Republican People's Party (Turkey)}}; color:white;"|'''''8'''''
| [[Özgür Özel]]<br /><small>(1974–)</small> || [[File:Özgür Özel 2023 (cropped).jpg|Özgür Özel|60px]] || 5 November 2023 || ''Incumbent''
|}

=== Timeline ===
{{#tag:timeline|
ImageSize = width:1000 height:auto barincrement:14
PlotArea  = top:10 bottom:25 right:130 left:20
AlignBars = late
Colors     =
 id:CHP    value:rgb(0.929,0.11,0.141)  
Define $today = {{#time:d/m/Y}}
DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy
Period     = from:01/01/1923 till:31/12/{{#time:Y}}
TimeAxis   = orientation:horizontal
ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:5 start:1925
ScaleMinor = unit:year increment:1 start:1924
BarData =
 bar:blank1
 bar:blank2
 bar:Atatürk
 bar:İnönü
 bar:Ecevit
 bar:Calp
 bar:Gürkan
 bar:Eİnönü
 bar:Baykal
 bar:Çetin
 bar:Öymen
 bar:Kılıçdaroğlu
 bar:Özel
LineData=
 at:30/10/1980 color:black width:0.1
 at:09/09/1992 color:black width:0.1
PlotData=
 width:5 align:left fontsize:8 shift:(5,-4) anchor:till
 
 bar:Atatürk
  from: 09/09/1923 till: 10/11/1938 color:CHP  text:"[[Mustafa Kemal Atatürk]]"
 bar:İnönü
  from: 10/11/1938 till: 08/05/1972 color:CHP  text:"[[İsmet İnönü]]"
 bar:Ecevit
  from: 08/05/1972 till: 30/10/1980 color:CHP  text:"[[Bülent Ecevit]]"
 bar:Baykal
  from: 09/09/1992 till: 18/02/1995 color:CHP
  from: 09/09/1995 till: 23/05/1999 color:CHP
  from: 30/09/2000 till: 22/05/2010 color:CHP  text:"[[Deniz Baykal]]"
 bar:Çetin
  from: 18/02/1995 till: 09/09/1995 color:CHP  text:"[[Hikmet Çetin]]"
 bar:Öymen
  from: 23/05/1999 till: 30/09/2000 color:CHP  text:"[[Altan Öymen]]"
 bar:Kılıçdaroğlu
  from: 22/05/2010 till: 05/11/2023 color:CHP  text:"[[Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu]]"
 bar:Özel
  from: 05/11/2023 till: $today     color:CHP  text:"[[Özgür Özel]]"
 bar:blank1 textcolor:black fontsize:S
  at:30/03/1982 text:"Party Banned"
 bar:blank2 textcolor:black fontsize:8
  at:01/01/1982 text:"(1980–1992)"
}}

== Election results ==
{{See also|Elections in Turkey}}

=== Grand National Assembly of Turkey ===
<timeline>
ImageSize  = width:750 height:240
PlotArea   = width:700 height:160 left:30 bottom:30
AlignBars  = justify

DateFormat = x.y
Period     = from:0 till:50
TimeAxis   = orientation:vertical
AlignBars  = justify
ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:5 start:0

Colors     =
  id:SB value:rgb(0.88,0.10,0.19) legend:Sea_Battles

PlotData   =
  bar:% color:SB width:22   mark:(line,white) align:left fontsize:S
  bar:1950 from:start till:39.45 text:39.4
  bar:1954 from:start till:35.36 text:35.3
  bar:1957 from:start till:41.09 text:41.0
  bar:1961 from:start till:36.74 text:36.7
  bar:1965 from:start till:28.75 text:28.7
  bar:1969 from:start till:27.37 text:27.3
  bar:1973 from:start till:33.30 text:33.3
  bar:1977 from:start till:41.38 text:41.3
  bar:1995 from:start till:10.71 text:10.7
  bar:1999 from:start till:8.71 text:8.71
  bar:2002 from:start till:19.39 text:19.3
  bar:2007 from:start till:20.88 text:20.8
  bar:2011 from:start till:25.98 text:25.9
  bar:2015 from:start till:25.32 text:25.3
  bar:2018 from:start till:22.64 text:22.6
  bar:2023 from:start till:25.33 text:25.3
</timeline>

{|class="wikitable" style="font-size:97%; text-align:left;"
|-
| colspan="11" align="center" |[[Grand National Assembly of Turkey]]
|-
! rowspan="2"|Election
! rowspan="2" |Leader
! colspan="4" |Popular vote
! colspan="3"|Number of seats
! rowspan="2"|Status
|-
! Votes
! %
! ± pp
! Rank
! Seats
! +/–
! Rank
|-
! [[1927 Turkish general election|1927]]
| rowspan="3" |[[Mustafa Kemal Atatürk]]
| —
| —
| —
| {{steady}} 1st
| {{composition bar|335|335|hex={{party color|Republican People's Party}}}}
| {{steady}} 0
| {{steady}} 1st
| {{yes2|Majority government}}
|-
! [[1931 Turkish general election|1931]]
| —
| —
| —
| {{steady}} 1st
| {{composition bar|287|317|hex={{party color|Republican People's Party}}}}
| {{decrease}} 48
| {{steady}} 1st
| {{yes2|Majority government}}
|-
! [[1935 Turkish general election|1935]]
| —
| —
| —
| {{steady}} 1st
| {{composition bar|401|428|hex={{party color|Republican People's Party}}}}
| {{increase}} 114
| {{steady}} 1st
| {{yes2|Majority government}}
|-
! [[1939 Turkish general election|1939]]
| rowspan="9" |[[İsmet İnönü]]
| —
| —
| —
| {{steady}} 1st
| Unknown
| —
| {{steady}} 1st
| {{yes2|Majority government}}
|-
! [[1943 Turkish general election|1943]]
| —
| —
| —
| {{steady}} 1st
| Unknown
| —
| {{steady}} 1st
| {{yes2|Majority government}}
|-
! [[1946 Turkish general election|1946]]
| —
| —
| —
| {{steady}} 1st
| {{composition bar|397|503|hex={{party color|Republican People's Party}}}}
| {{decrease}} 73
| {{steady}} 1st
| {{yes2|Majority government}}
|-
! [[1950 Turkish general election|1950]]
| 3,176,561
| 39.45
| {{increase}} 39.45
| {{increase}} 2nd
| {{composition bar|69|492|hex={{party color|Republican People's Party}}}}
| {{increase}} 69
| {{increase}} 2nd
| {{no2|Main Opposition}}
|-
! [[1954 Turkish general election|1954]]
| 3,161,696
| 35.36
| {{decrease}} 4.09
| {{steady}} 2nd
| {{composition bar|31|537|hex={{party color|Republican People's Party}}}}
| {{decrease}} 38
| {{steady}} 2nd
| {{no2|Main Opposition}}
|-
! [[1957 Turkish general election|1957]]
| 3,753,136
| 41.09
| {{increase}} 4.73
| {{steady}} 2nd
| {{composition bar|178|602|hex={{party color|Republican People's Party}}}}
| {{increase}} 147
| {{steady}} 2nd
| {{no2|Main Opposition}}
|-
! [[1961 Turkish general election|1961]]
| 3,724,752
| 36.74
| {{decrease}} 4.35
| {{increase}} 1st
| {{composition bar|173|450|hex={{party color|Republican People's Party}}}}
| {{decrease}} 5
| {{increase}} 1st
| {{yes2|Coalition government}}
|-
! [[1965 Turkish general election|1965]]
| 2,675,785
| 28.75
| {{decrease}} 7.99
| {{decrease}} 2nd
| {{composition bar|134|450|hex={{party color|Republican People's Party}}}}
| {{decrease}} 39
| {{decrease}} 2nd
| {{no2|Main Opposition}}
|-
! [[1969 Turkish general election|1969]]
| 2,487,163
| 27.37
| {{decrease}} 1.38
| {{steady}} 2nd
| {{composition bar|143|450|hex={{party color|Republican People's Party}}}}
| {{increase}} 9
| {{steady}} 2nd
| {{no2|Main Opposition}}
|-
! [[1973 Turkish general election|1973]]
| rowspan="2" |[[Bülent Ecevit]]
| 3,570,583
| 33.30
| {{increase}} 5.93
| {{increase}} 1st
| {{composition bar|185|450|hex={{party color|Republican People's Party}}}}
| {{increase}} 42
| {{increase}} 1st
| {{yes2|Coalition government}}
|-
! [[1977 Turkish general election|1977]]
| 6,136,171
| 41.38
| {{increase}} 8.09
| {{steady}} 1st
| {{composition bar|213|450|hex={{party color|Republican People's Party}}}}
| {{increase}} 28
| {{steady}} 1st
| {{yes2|Coalition government}}
|-
! colspan="10" |'''Party closed following the [[1980 Turkish coup d'état]].'''
|-
! [[1995 Turkish general election|1995]]
| rowspan="4" |[[Deniz Baykal]]
| 3,011,076
| 10.71
| {{increase}} 10.71
| {{increase}} 5th
| {{composition bar|49|550|hex={{party color|Republican People's Party}}}}
| {{increase}} 49
| {{increase}} 5th
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[1999 Turkish general election|1999]]
| 2,716,094
| 8.71
| {{decrease}} 2.00
| {{decrease}} 6th
| {{composition bar|0|550|hex={{party color|Republican People's Party}}}}
| {{decrease}} 8
| {{decrease}} 6th
| {{no2|Extra-parliamentary<br>opposition}}
|-
! [[2002 Turkish general election|2002]]
| 6,113,352
| 19.39
| {{increase}} 10.68
| {{increase}} 2nd
| {{composition bar|178|550|hex={{party color|Republican People's Party}}}}
| {{increase}} 178
| {{increase}} 2nd
| {{no2|Main Opposition}}
|-
! [[2007 Turkish general election|2007]]
| 7,317,808
| 20.88
| {{increase}} 1.50
| {{steady}} 2nd
| {{composition bar|112|550|hex={{party color|Republican People's Party}}}}
| {{decrease}} 66
| {{steady}} 2nd
| {{no2|Main Opposition}}
|-
! [[2011 Turkish general election|2011]]
| rowspan="5" |[[Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu]]
| 11,155,972
| 25.98
| {{increase}} 5.10
| {{steady}} 2nd
| {{composition bar|135|550|hex={{party color|Republican People's Party}}}}
| {{increase}} 23
| {{steady}} 2nd
| {{no2|Main Opposition}}
|-
! [[June 2015 Turkish general election|2015]]
| 11,518,139
| 24.95
| {{decrease}} 1.03
| {{steady}} 2nd
| {{composition bar|132|550|hex={{party color|Republican People's Party}}}}
| {{decrease}} 3
| {{steady}} 2nd
| {{no2|Main Opposition}}
|-
! [[November 2015 Turkish general election|2015]]
| 12,111,812
| 25.32
| {{increase}} 0.37
| {{steady}} 2nd
| {{composition bar|134|550|hex={{party color|Republican People's Party}}}}
| {{increase}} 2
| {{steady}} 2nd
| {{no2|Main Opposition}}
|-
! [[2018 Turkish general election|2018]]
| 11,348,899
| 22.64
| {{decrease}} 2.68
| {{steady}} 2nd
| {{composition bar|146|600|hex={{party color|Republican People's Party}}}}
| {{increase}} 12
| {{steady}} 2nd
| {{no2|Main Opposition}}
|-
! [[2023 Turkish general election|2023]]
| 13,655,909
| 25.33
| {{increase}} 2.69
| {{steady}} 2nd
| {{composition bar|169|600|hex={{party color|Republican People's Party}}}}
| {{increase}} 23
| {{steady}} 2nd
| {{no2|Main Opposition}}
|}

=== Presidential elections ===
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align: center; border:none;width:100%"
|-
!colspan="7"|Presidential election record of the Republican People's Party (CHP)
|-
! !! Election !! Candidate !! Votes !! % !! Outcome !! width=272px| Map
|-
| style="background: {{party color|Independent (politician)}};"| || '''[[2014 Turkish presidential election|10 August 2014]]''' || [[File:Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu (1) (cropped).jpg|76px]]<hr>[[Ekmeleddin&nbsp;İhsanoğlu]]<br />Cross-party with [[Nationalist Movement Party|MHP]] || 15,587,720  || 38.44% || {{no|2nd}} || [[File:2014 Turkish presidential election map.svg|270px]]
|-
| style="background: {{party color|Republican People's Party (Turkey)}};"| || '''[[2018 Turkish presidential election|24 June 2018]]''' || [[File:Muharrem İnce (cropped).jpg|76px]]<hr>[[Muharrem&nbsp;İnce]] || 15,340,321 || 30.64% || {{no|2nd}} || [[File:2018 Turkish presidential election map.svg|270px]]
|-
| style="background: {{party color|Republican People's Party (Turkey)}};"|
|[[2023 Turkish presidential election|'''14 May 2023''']]
|[[File:Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu in March 2023 (cropped).png|Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu|76px]]<hr>[[Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu]]
|24.595.178 {{small|(first round)}}<br>25.504.724 {{small|(second round)}}
|44.88% {{small|(first round)}}<br>47.82% {{small|(second round)}}
|{{no|2nd}}
| [[File:2023 Turkish presidential election map.svg|270px]]<br>[[File:2023 Turkish presidential election map second round.svg|270px]]
|}

=== Senate elections ===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:0.906em; width:60%; text-align:center;"
|-
! style="background:gray; color:white; text-align:center;" | Election date
! style="background:gray; color:white; text-align:center;" | Party leader
! style="background:gray; color:white; text-align:center;" | Number of votes received
! style="background:gray; color:white; text-align:center;" | Percentage of votes
! style="background:gray; color:white; text-align:center;" | Number of senators
|-
| [[1961 Turkish senate elections|1961]] ||rowspan="4"| [[İsmet İnönü]] || 3,734,285 || 36,1% || {{Composition bar|36|150|{{party color|Republican People's Party (Turkey)}}}}
|-
| [[1964 Turkish senate elections|1964]] || 1,125,783 || 40,8% || {{Composition bar|19|51|{{party color|Republican People's Party (Turkey)}}}}
|-
| [[1966 Turkish senate elections|1966]] || 877,066 || 29,6% || {{Composition bar|13|52|{{party color|Republican People's Party (Turkey)}}}}
|-
| [[1968 Turkish senate elections|1968]] ||899,444 || 27,1% || {{Composition bar|13|53|{{party color|Republican People's Party (Turkey)}}}}
|-
| [[1973 Turkish senate elections|1973]] ||rowspan="4"| [[Bülent Ecevit]] || 1,412,051 || 33,6% || {{Composition bar|25|52|{{party color|Republican People's Party (Turkey)}}}}
|-
| [[1975 Turkish senate elections|1975]] || 2,281,470 || 43,4% || {{Composition bar|25|54|{{party color|Republican People's Party (Turkey)}}}}
|-
| [[1977 Turkish senate elections|1977]] ||  2,037,875 || 42,4% || {{Composition bar|28|50|{{party color|Republican People's Party (Turkey)}}}}
|-
| [[1979 Turkish senate elections|1979]] ||   1,378,224 || 29,1% || {{Composition bar|12|50|{{party color|Republican People's Party (Turkey)}}}}
|}

=== Local elections ===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:0.906em; text-align:center;"
|-
! rowspan="2" | Election date
! rowspan="2" | Party leader
! colspan="2" | Provincial Council
! colspan="3" |Mayorship
! Map
|-
!Votes
!%
!Votes
!%
!'''#'''
!
|-
|1930
|rowspan="3" |[[Mustafa Kemal Atatürk]]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|1934
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|1938
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|1942
| rowspan="5" |[[İsmet İnönü]]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|1946
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|1950
|570,606
|37.5
|
|
|
|
|-
| [[1963 Turkish local elections|1963]]|| 3,458,972 || 36.22 
|1,062,432
|35.7|| {{Composition bar|335|1045|{{party color|Republican People's Party (Turkey)}}}}
|
|-
| [[1968 Turkish local elections|1968]]|| 2,542,644 || 27.90 
|994,938
|30.7|| {{Composition bar|289|1252|{{party color|Republican People's Party (Turkey)}}}}
|
|-
| [[1973 Turkish local elections|1973]]|| rowspan="2" | [[Bülent Ecevit]]|| 3,708,687 || 37.09 
|1,716,302
|39.6|| {{Composition bar|551|1640|{{party color|Republican People's Party (Turkey)}}}}
|
|-
| [[1977 Turkish local elections|1977]]|| 5,161,426 || 41.73 
|2,682,282
|45.7|| {{Composition bar|714|1730|{{party color|Republican People's Party (Turkey)}}}}
|
|-
|[[1984 Turkish local elections|1984]]
| colspan="7" rowspan="2" |'''Party closed following the [[1980 Turkish coup d'état]] until 1993.'''
|-
|[[1989 Turkish local elections|1989]]
|-
| [[1994 Turkish local elections|1994]]||rowspan="4"| [[Deniz Baykal]]|| 1,297,371 || 4.61 
|869,921
|4.4|| {{Composition bar|64|2710|{{party color|Republican People's Party (Turkey)}}}}
|
|-
| [[1999 Turkish local elections|1999]]|| 3,487,483 || 11.08 
|3,227,096
|13.8|| {{Composition bar|373|3215|{{party color|Republican People's Party (Turkey)}}}}
|
|-
| [[2004 Turkish local elections|2004]]|| 5,848,180 || 18.38 
|4,988,427
|20.7|| {{Composition bar|467|3193|{{party color|Republican People's Party (Turkey)}}}}
|
|-
| [[2009 Turkish local elections|2009]]|| 9,233,662 || 23.11 
|7,960,562
|24.7|| {{Composition bar|503|2903|{{party color|Republican People's Party (Turkey)}}}}
|
|-
| [[2014 Turkish local elections|2014]]||rowspan="2"| [[Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu]] || 10,938,262 || 26.34 
|11,008,961
|26.45|| {{Composition bar|226|1351|{{party color|Republican People's Party (Turkey)}}}} || [[File:2014 Turkish local elections CHP.png|200px]]
|-
| [[2019 Turkish local elections|2019]]|| 12,625,346 || 29.36 
|12,868,053
|29.81|| {{Composition bar|240|1355|{{party color|Republican People's Party (Turkey)}}}} || [[File:2019 Turkish local elections CHP.png|200px]] 
|-
| [[2024 Turkish local elections|2024]]|| [[Özgür Özel]] || 17,345,876	|| 37.77 
|17,391,548
|37.77|| {{Composition bar|406|1363|{{party color|Republican People's Party (Turkey)}}}} || [[File:2024 Turkish local elections CHP.png|200px]]
|}

== See also ==
<!-- New links in alphabetical order please -->
{{Portal|Turkey|Politics}}
* [[List of political parties in Turkey]]
* [[Left of Center (Turkey)]]
* [[Atatürkist Thought Association]]
* [[Şero]]
* ''[[Ulus (newspaper)|Ulus]]''
* [[Ulusalism]]
* [[New Republican People's Party]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Official website}}
{{Conventions of the Republican People's Party}}{{Political parties of Turkey}}
{{Party of European Socialists}}
{{Secularism in Turkey}}
{{Turkish nationalism}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Republican People's Party (Turkey)| ]]
[[Category:Political parties in Turkey]]
[[Category:Centre-left parties in Asia]]
[[Category:Centre-left parties in Europe]]
[[Category:Secularism in Turkey]]
[[Category:Social democratic parties]]
[[Category:Socialist International]]
[[Category:Nationalist parties in Turkey]]
[[Category:Pro-European political parties in Turkey]]