Mustafa Bildircin
CHP General Chairman Özgür Özel answered our newspaper’s questions. Explaining the background to the CHP’s decision not to participate in the Imrali delegation, Özel shared his expectations from the solution commission established in the Grand National Assembly and his assessment of the stance of those described as ‘internal party opposition’ regarding the İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality indictment. Özel also shared details of the CHP’s new Party Programme and his party’s preparations for the election.
CHP Leader Özel also commented on current political developments, as well as the 39th Ordinary Congress process and its aftermath.
WHO MADE THE DECISION?
Emphasising that the Turkish Grand National Assembly’s National Solidarity, Brotherhood and Democracy Commission’s visit to İmralı had been planned much earlier, Özel said that the invitation had been sent to the CHP before the visit was even on the commission’s agenda. Reiterating that a high-ranking AKP official had suggested that measures could be taken to conceal the visit from the public, Özel said, ‘They are acting as if they are doing something shameful.’
Özel explained the process of the CHP’s decision not to visit İmralı as follows:
“We combined all the data and made the decision together. We took everyone’s opinion into account. Then we all refined the decision together and informed our colleagues. We conducted very detailed surveys on what all segments of society thought about the Imrali visit. In fact, we are the only party that knows the stance of the MHP’s voters. We also looked at all voters’ own party affiliations and made a decision accordingly.
WE SUPPORT THE SOLUTION
If the process ends with a solution, with peace, it will be a very good thing for Turkey. We support this. There are difficulties, bumps and potholes along the way. For example, the operations that lasted throughout the summer were difficult for us. On 2 September, when a trustee was appointed to the İstanbul Provincial Directorate and 5,000 police officers entered the party headquarters, it was not easy to answer the question, “Are you still going to sit at the table?”. We went through a number of difficulties.
The Imrali visit is also a bump in the road. I object to the Imrali visit being treated as a crossroads. The MHP has passed this bump. The MHP has advantages at this point. They applaud when we throw them a bone, and when we say, “I’ll go to the island”… Therefore, the MHP jumped over the Imrali bump with its wheels off the ground. The AKP braked until the last moment and passed over that bump.
The DEM Party does not see it as a bump anyway. Their desire for this visit is understandable. We bypassed the bump rather than trying to drive over it and risk overturning the car. But we continue on the road to a solution.
The MİT has been in talks with İmralı since perhaps the day Erdoğan was elected. They attacked us back then when we said, “Talks with İmralı have been going on for over a year”. When the commission was opened, it was learned that they had been in talks even longer than that. Now that we have reached this point, we are continuing on our path. Therefore, the decision taken by the CHP, taking into account the expectations of its own voters, is not actually a destructive decision, but a constructive one.”
WE DON’T DESERVE THE REACTIONS
Özel also commented on the reactions that followed the CHP’s decision on İmralı. Noting that the most destructive reactions came from the segments expected to show the strongest will for a solution, Özel continued:
“Because all our counterparts at the table knew that our inclination was not to go ahead. In fact, there were many attempts to persuade us.
We respected these attempts, but ultimately we made our own decision. I am a proponent of the idea that politics governs the state, not the state governing politics. If you are compelled to do whatever is presented to you as the will of the state, then what is the need for a political group? Did the issue get resolved by going to İmralı? There are still many things to be done, many steps to be taken.
For example, I believe that steps towards democratisation are vital and that this problem can be solved through a very inclusive democratisation process.
The determined, courageous steps that the CHP, which did not go to İmralı, will take could be much more constructive. The CHP’s decision can, of course, be criticised, but we, for example, did not criticise the decisions taken by other parties. We respect everyone’s decision; that is what should be done.
Otherwise, populism can be practised in the comfortable zone of not going to İmralı. We did not choose that. As I said, I do not understand those who treat this bump, this pothole, as a crossroads, saying, “You have parted ways from here on”. I do not think we deserve the emotional break of the Kurdish voters from the CHP. If there is such a break, we still have time to repair it.
Two weeks before this decision was announced, at a group meeting, I apologised from the podium for the decision my party had taken in the past regarding immunity, even though that was not my position. Going to the island is not courage.
Not going to the island is not cowardice. Those who went to the island did not go because they were afraid of someone. Those who did not go to the island did not go because they were afraid of someone. Everyone made a decision based on their own political line and their own assessment of the contribution they would make to the process from then on. The AKP constructed this process based on the balance of political risk and political gain.
They even think they can measure the depth of the river for the MHP and then roll up their sleeves and wade through the water up to their ankles to cross the river. Now they are continuing with the same attitude. Even though Hüseyin Yayman went, he said, “I didn’t go”. That’s not right. The Yayman issue is like a litmus test in this matter. They are acting as if they are doing something shameful.”
CHP Leader Özel emphasised that his party would remain in the solution commission in the Grand National Assembly. Reminding that the commission would move on to the report writing process in the new term, Özel listed his expectations regarding the report with the following words:
“The report must include the CHP’s demands. The report must be agreed upon. It must be a report that will be accepted by a qualified majority. We will work hard for this, we will strive, we will work on the report. I hope the commission will write a report that will pave the way for Turkey. That is our purpose in being on the commission.‘
ÖZGÜR ÖZEL JUSTICE
CHP General Chairman Özgür Özel also assessed the reactions of those described as ’internal party opposition.” Noting that he served as Deputy Group Chair in the CHP for nine years and is one of the longest-serving Deputy Group Chairs in the party, Özel summarised his ‘inclusive approach’ by saying, ‘My colleagues who oppose me expressed their expectations when our new Deputy Group Chair was elected, saying, “Let it be someone with Özgür Özel’s sense of justice and inclusiveness”.’
Stating that he continued his inclusive approach during his term as CHP Group Deputy Chair during his term as General Chair, Özel noted the following:
“Of course, we will be inclusive in the new term as well. But sometimes you can’t embrace the hedgehog. The man doesn’t let himself be embraced. Right now, the people I can’t embrace or who we can’t embrace are not those we can’t embrace because of us. We are taking steps, but there are those who do not want to embrace me because of their own agenda.
On the way to the convention, there are those who come to the General President’s office door in the Assembly, hand over an envelope and leave. I saw the note on television before I opened the envelope. Now, if those friends had not given that note to the television, I would have called them for a chat as soon as I read it.
After the indictment, there are those who say, “Let’s hold a trial within our own ranks”. A case has already been filed. Aziz İhsan Aktaş is obliged to prove his allegations. The trial is already underway. We are saying, broadcast that trial on television.
NOT IN LINE WITH DISCIPLINE
On the one hand, a trial will be held, and on the other hand, we will also hold a trial. So, with what authority and based on what information and documents? Statements that accept the indictment as correct are a great disappointment to us. For example, there are statements that cover up the lack of evidence in the indictment and attach importance to it. It is impossible to evaluate these within party discipline or party law.
The statements made one day and three days before the indictment was accepted are also unfair to our friends inside, their families and their children. No one should expect us to accept an indictment that is not based on concrete evidence.”
PARTY PROGRAMME
Özel also shared the following regarding the CHP’s new Party Programme:
“At our convention for constitutional amendments on 4-9 September 2024, we lit the fuse for the programme convention. Within this scope, we established advisory boards in 81 provinces and 927 districts. We gathered the views of numerous groups in all cities, from NGOs to professional associations, trade unions where they exist, and opinion leaders. Ultimately, we drafted a party programme that will become the government programme.
We worked with 600 academics and organisation representatives, as well as hundreds of young people, to create the programme. We liken the programme to a constitution. We will have a programme that somewhat determines the party’s stance but can also transcend time.
30 CONCRETE PROPOSALS FROM THE CHP
We will announce our concrete proposals in the near future. We will make our 30 concrete proposals visible at the congress. We will share at least two concrete examples in each area with the public. Our programme actually contains too many concrete examples for a party programme. For example, it states that under CHP rule, students will be provided with free meals at schools. Many sections of the programme state very concrete things. However, for those who want to hear a government programme, who want to hear election promises, it may still need to be a little more concrete.
Our shadow cabinet, which will work within our Presidential Candidate Office, will explain our concrete proposals to the public in their respective fields. We aim to transform the party programme into a government programme within a short period of three months. We will present concrete promises to the citizens. We will explain our promises and our programme on the street, in cafés, at workplaces, in factories, on worker buses, and in front of mines.
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IS THE CHP STUCK IN SİLİVRİ?
CHP Leader Özel responded to the question, ‘What do you think about the criticism that the CHP has confined its politics to Silivri?’ by saying:
“We have held 72 rallies since 19 March. We devoted the entire first rally we held in Saraçhane to the response to the operations. However, even at the rally we held in Maltepe on 30 March, which was attended by 2.5 million people, we addressed Turkey’s fundamental problems, particularly the economy.
Currently, the public agenda constitutes 80 per cent of my speeches at rallies. Of course, in my speeches, I also respond to attacks against İmamoğlu, all our mayors, and our party. But naturally, because the polemic aspect of the issue comes to the fore, the perception arises that the CHP only talks about the 19 March coup.
Citizens tell us, “We want to hear more from the CHP about how it will govern Turkey.” We also devote a large part of our group meetings to economic issues.”
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Photo: Depo Photoa
ELECTION TRAINING
Özel also touched upon the CHP’s election preparations. Stating that a large-scale election training exercise will be carried out before the election, Özel explained: “We will tell the polling station officials, “Get up at 6:00 a.m. this Sunday and go to your polling station at 7:00 a.m.”
They will go to the school, and each school will have a ballot box. Our official will go to the school, scan the QR code of the school and then the ballot box, and send it to us. We will replace anyone who does not go to their post.”
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WE WILL OVERCOME THE BLACKOUT
The 186,000 polling station officials we have already appointed will help us explain the programme to voters. We will reach out to miners and teachers who have not been appointed with separate promises. Our promises will contain serious and realistic solutions. We will overcome the blackout imposed by the media, most of which is controlled by the government, and reach voters directly. The government is throwing smoke bombs at the real agenda. Such as the constitutional debates, the coup of 19 March, and the visit to İmralı. A series of events are taking place that obscure the real agenda. Therefore, we will tear down this smokescreen.
To counter the pessimism that “the votes are being stolen”, we have already appointed 186,000 polling station officials across Turkey to protect the ballot boxes. We have set up a call centre for 145,000 of them. We have a call centre where 100 people work every day. They work in the Party Assembly Hall. To date, 140,000 of our polling station officials have been called from our call centre and their acceptance of the job has been confirmed.
Note: This article is translated from the original article titled CHP Lideri Özel BirGün’e konuştu: Kirpiyle kucaklaşılmaz, published in BirGün newspaper on November 27, 2025.
