Turkish riot police fired ​tear gas and broke ‌through the gates of the main opposition ​party’s headquarters ​to evict its ousted leadership on Sunday, ​a Reuters witness said.

Turkish authorities ordered police to evict the leadership of the main opposition Republican ​People’s Party (CHP) from their headquarters on Sunday, ‌enforcing a court ruling that reinstated the former leader and fuelled a political crisis.

Earlier, the riot police and crowds ​gathered outside the gates of CHP headquarters ​in the Turkish capital after the Ankara governor’s office issued the order to remove CHP ​members aligned with ousted leader Ozgur Ozel.

A Turkish ​appeals court on Thursday annulled the results of a CHP congress at which Ozel was elected in 2023, ​citing unspecified irregularities. In Ozel’s place, the ​court reinstated former CHP Chairman Kemal Kilicdaroglu, who lost to ‌President Tayyip Erdogan in elections earlier that year.

Ozel called on Saturday for a new party congress to be held as soon as possible while ​Kilicdaroglu has said ​that ⁠a congress would be held at an “appropriate” time.

The ousted CHP leadership under ​Ozel has condemned the court ruling ​as a “judicial coup” and Ozel promised to fight it through legal appeals and to remain “day and night” in the party’s ​Ankara headquarters.

CHP lawmakers on ​Saturday elected Ozel as leader of the party’s parliamentary group.