The Leader of the Republican People's Party () is the leader of the Republican People's Party (CHP), the main opposition party in Turkey. Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu has been the leader between 2010-2023, and again since 21 May 2026, following the deposition of Özgür Özel.
The CHP leader is elected by a majority vote during a convention of the CHP. According to the regulations of the CHP, the CHP leader is the head of all party organizations except disciplinary ones.
List No.Name(Born–Died) PortraitTerm in Office1 Mustafa Kemal Atatürk(1881–1938) 9 September 1923 10 November 19382 İsmet İnönü(1884–1973) 26 December 1938 8 May 19723 Bülent Ecevit(1925–2006) 14 May 1972 30 October 1980Party closed down following the 12 September 1980 coup d'état4 Deniz Baykal(1938–2023) 9 September 1992 18 February 19955 Hikmet Çetin(1937–) 18 February 1995 9 September 1995(4) Deniz Baykal(1938–2023) 9 September 1995 23 May 19996 Altan Öymen(1932–2025) 23 May 1999 30 September 2000(4) Deniz Baykal(1938–2023) 30 September 2000 10 May 20107 Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu(1948–) 22 May 2010 5 November 20238 Özgür Özel(1974–) 5 November 2023 21 May 2026(7) Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu(1948–) 21 May 2026 Incumbent
Timeline
References