A court in Turkey has dismissed a graft case against the country’s main opposition party, the social democratic CHP, ruling that the lawsuit lacked merit.

The case sought to annul the party’s 2023 congress, during which longtime leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu was ousted CHP leader Ozgur Ozel elected. It alleged vote-buying and procedural violations.

However, the judge rejected the lawsuit, saying it had “no basis.”

The ruling is expected to ease tensions stemming from a year-long legal crackdown on the party. Applause broke out in the courtroom after the decision was announced.

Why is the CHP under scrutiny?

The CHP has denied the accusations.

Party officials say the legal action is a political attempt by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government to use the judiciary to undermine the opposition. Erdogan is a member of the conservative Justice and Development Party (AKP). 

The CHP made significant gains in last year’s local elections, and CHP-controlled municipalities faced a wave of arrests earlier this year.

Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, seen as a strong potential challenger to Erdogan after 22 years in power, remains in pretrial custody on corruption charges he denies.

Prosecutors in Istanbul have opened a new investigation into Imamoglu on charges of espionage, state news agency Anadolu reported Friday.

Erdogan’s government maintains that Turkey’s courts are free from political influence.

Edited by: Louis Oelofse