The Constitutional Court will consider on Sept. 29 a request to annul the name of Yeni Party and remove it from the registry of political parties.
The Chief Public Prosecutor's Office of the Court of Cassation pursued the case after the Yeni Party let a deadline to change its name expire on Sept. 18. The prosecutor acted on a complaint from Yenilik Party, which said the two names confuse voters.
The Yenilik Party cited a 2024 precedent. The Court of Cassation then rejected another party's bid to register the name 'Yeni Party' over the same similarity.
Yeni Party has said it will not change its name before the Constitutional Court rules. Özgür Özel founded the party on July 24 after resigning from the CHP.
Yenilik Party Chair Öztürk Yılmaz, a CHP breakaway, said about 5,000 members had been affected by the confusion. He said he expected the court to base its ruling on the prosecutor's opinion. Yılmaz also called on the Yeni Party to consider a merger by Oct. 5, adding his party remained open to talks with Özel.
The court will first ask the Yeni Party for its defense. If it finds a violation, it may issue a warning requiring the party to change its name.
Founded in 2020 by former diplomat Yılmaz, Yenilik Party won 11,171 votes, or 0.02%, in the May 2023 parliamentary elections — the lowest of any party.
If the court strikes the name, the Yeni Party will choose a new one at a congress. Party officials told DW Turkish the word 'yeni' would remain. Options under discussion include Yeni Başlangıçlar Party (New Beginnings Party), Halkın Yeni Party (People's New Party) and Milletin Yeni Party (Nation's New Party).
