Özgür Özel is reelected CHP chair

 

The 22^nd Extraordinary Congress of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), the political party of modern Türkiye’s founder, the great leader Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, known for its secularism and Western-oriented stance, convened today in Ankara at the Nazım Hikmet Congress and Culture Center at the request of delegates. The CHP, which held its last congress on April 6, was forced to convene a second congress within a year. The reason for this was to fend off lawsuits seeking the annulment of the 38^th Ordinary Congress held on November 4-5, 2023, during which the party leadership changed hands and Özgür Özel was unexpectedly elected to replace Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu. This process, which has been the subject of major legal debates in recent times, entered a new phase with the appointment of Gürsel Tekin, one of the party’s former senior figures, as the Istanbul Provincial Chairman, and the strong possibility that former Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu would be re-elected as Chairman as a result of the lawsuit.

As a result of the election, Özgür Özel and his administration, who ran as the sole candidate in the Congress, were re-elected by securing 835 of the 917 votes cast. Thus, the 22^nd Extraordinary Congress went down in history as one of the fastest congresses in CHP history, and Özel was re-elected as Chair of the party in approximately 4 hours. Özel’s opening speech, in which he stated, “We have become somewhat skilled at breaking stones and distinguishing friends from enemies”, drew attention. Özgür Özel and the new CHP leadership, who have been engaged in a fierce polemic with the AK Parti (Justice and Development Party) and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s government due to recent legal operations against CHP-run municipalities, have thus renewed their confidence and proven their strength within their own base. However, legal pressures on the CHP continue, and the outcome of this Congress does not mean that the party leadership will not change as a result of a court decision.

Former CHP Chairs Hikmet Çetin and Murat Karayalçın attended the convention, while Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu was not present in the hall. In the press, it is claimed that Kılıçdaroğlu still believes he can become the party leader by court order, but it is hoped that the court’s decision after the reconvened Congress, which was free of any suspicion, will not be valid. Otherwise, there are concerns that the government, or the state in general, will control opposition parties and that the country will move towards a regime that is far from democracy. On the other hand, intense corruption reports and allegations about CHP municipalities trigger criticism that the opposition in Türkiye is not sufficiently careful and attentive. Thanks to the institutional power of the AK Parti and the extraordinary charisma of President Erdoğan, pro-democracy advocates expect a more careful performance from the CHP administration. This is also essential for Türkiye to have a democracy that meets European standards.

Finally, we hope that the CHP leadership will continue to perform its duties democratically and contribute to Türkiye’s security and democratization by reaching agreements with the AK Parti on certain issues. A strong CHP is extremely beneficial for a democratic Türkiye and is also necessary for the rest of the world. In this sense, while criticizing the AK Parti and President Erdoğan on specific issues, the CHP should support the “Türkiye without Terrorism” (Terörsüz Türkiye) process, act reformist on issues such as a new and civilian constitution, and not shy away from seeking cooperation. This is because Türkiye and the world are going through a particularly challenging period, and the CHP must act responsibly due to the security risks. 

Prof. Dr. Ozan ÖRMECİ