On May 23, 2026, thousands of protesters took to the streets in Ankara and Istanbul in response to a court ruling that ousted the leader of the CHP, Turkey's main opposition party.
This decision has been interpreted as part of a larger pattern of government crackdowns on political opposition, raising concerns about the state of democracy in the country.
The CHP leader, a notable figure in Turkish politics, has garnered substantial public support, making the court's ruling particularly contentious among his supporters.