At the extraordinary general meeting of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) held in Ankara on Sunday, incumbent chairman Özgürözel was re-elected as his second leader after receiving 1,276 votes and 1,171 votes.
Antalya Muratpaşa Mayorumit Uysal has announced the withdrawal of his candidacy, former CHP Istanbul State Speaker Berhan Simshek, who was unable to win sufficient votes.
The parliament took place amid one of the most intense crackdowns against Turkish opposition parties. This arrested top-ranked CHP figures such as the party’s presidential candidate, Ekrem Imamor, mayor of Istanbul.
Opposition parties condemned a wave of arrest amid ongoing protests across the country, referring to Imamol on March 19, when he was arrested, arrested as a “judicial coup” against the opposition and sent to the infamous Silibri prison.
Meanwhile, the government argues that Turkish courts are run “in an independent and fair way.”
In a speech to CHP members before the vote on Sunday, Ozel said in connection with President Receptacle Tayyip Erdogan that the opposition parties are “ready to save Turkey from you.”
Erdogan’s “false” statement and after investigation
On February 10th, the Chief Prosecutor’s Office in Ankara began an investigation into the CHP Congress held on November 4-5, 2023. Prosecutors are investigating allegations that CHP representatives “we were given money, phone and house in exchange for votes,” and that if the CHP representative was a regular MP, if there was a regular MP from CHP, a regular MP from CHP, then they questioned party officials.
A week before the investigation, President Recept Tayp Erdogan said in a speech to the party’s Manisa state assembly that “they condemned Kemal (former CHP chairman Kirchudalor) for the election and expelled him through a shady parliament.”
Kılıçdaroğlu, who served as CHP president between 2010 and 2023, confirmed that he is not an extraordinary congressional candidate for the future.
Meanwhile, CHP Istanbul Deputy Oyz Khan Salch announced on his X account that another list will appear in the parliament against Ezel’s list.
“We will organize a ‘Balance and Solidarity List’ in the party’s parliamentary elections in the 21st extraordinary assembly of the Republican People’s Party. We say “balance” because we want such a party. Salchi added: “We will set this belief and invite an honorable delegation of the Republican Party.”
Özel announced last month that an extraordinary assembly has been set up to “prevent attempts to appoint a trustee to the CHP,” and called on representatives to vote in today’s vote.
