WEEKLY UPDATE - 05.22.2026

Turkish court removes opposition-party leader

On Thursday, a Turkish appeals court ruled against the prominent opposition politician Özgür Özel stripping him of leadership of the Republican People’s Party (CHP). In 2023, Özel rose to the leadership of the CHP and in 2024 he presided over the party’s remarkable upset of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) in municipal elections. Özel has been deeply critical of Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan calling him an “oppressor” and condemning the government’s suppression of political challengers. The court ruling also ordered Özel to pay Erdogan 300,000 Turkish lira for his past comments.

The court ruling is the latest in a series of trends and events in Turkey targeting prominent opposition figures. Since the 2024 elections, more than twenty CHP officials have been charged with fraud, bribery, or terrorism. Last year, authorities arrested Istanbul mayor and popular CHP figure Ikrem İmamoğlu, who was widely believed to be a mounting presidential campaign against Erdogan. The ruling also restored leadership of the CHP to Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, who has been much less critical of Erdogan. In reaction to the ruling, the Turkish stock market fell by six percent prompting authorities to temporarily suspend trading.

Around the Region

• North Africa:

  • On Thursday Egypt, Tunisia, and Algeria called on Libyan officials to hold presidential and parliamentary elections. The three countries stressed the “importance of advancing the political process in Libya under UN auspices” and urged Libyan parties to avoid escalations and prioritize the national interest.

  • Eleven people were killed and six others were injured when a four-story building collapsed in the Moroccan city of Fez. Two other buildings collapsed in December killing 22 people.

• The Gulf:

  • The US and Iran continued to vacillate between threats and negotiations as the Strait of Hormuz remained effectively closed. On Monday, President Trump said that he had delayed an attack on Iran in order to allow time for negotiations to work. In response, Iran’s army spokesman Mohammed Akraminia threatened to open up “new fronts” in the war. This follows a familiar pattern over the past several weeks as US and Iranian officials have traded proposals to the end the conflict. According to Barak Ravid, a journalist with Axios, President Trump and Israeli PM Netanyahu remain divided on next steps. Netanyahu favors continued military strikes on the Iranian regime while Trump favors negotiations.

  • Iran said that it was in talks with neighboring Oman over joint-control of the Strait of Hormuz. Omani officials have not issued any statements in response. The US and other Gulf-states have criticized Iran’s attempts to assert control over the important water-way following the war calling it illegal under international law.

• The Levant:

  • A car bomb detonated near a Syria Ministry of Defense building in the Bab al-Sharqi neighborhood of Damascus killing one and injuring more than 20 others. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack. In other news, Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa will lead a Syrian delegation to a G-7 summit next month in France. Reports have signaled that the talks will focus on the potential role of Syria as an alternate route for regional energy supply chains amidst the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

  • Israeli far right Minister of Homeland Security, Itamar Ben Gvir, sparked a controversy after he posted a video of himself gloating over the mistreatment of international pro-Palestinian activists who tried to break Israel’s maritime blockade of Gaza. After being released and repatriated to their home countries, several of the activists detailed their mistreatment at the hands of Israeli authorities. Several claimed to have been beaten after being detained suffering severe bruising and even broken bones.

Recommended:

• “Rubble is Israel’s Doctrine, not a Case of Improvisation” Diwan

• “Tending to Aden’s Last Hindu Temple” New Lines Magazine