CHP leader Özel criticizes party’s former strategy, says ‘will pursue more inclusive politics’

Duvar English

Turkish main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) Özgür Özel on Oct. 4 stated that he “will pursue a more inclusive politics” amidst the criticisms for holding talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan under the name of “normalization.”

In an interview with online news outlet Medyascope, Özel criticized his party’s previous leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu for “the aggressive opposition style,” and said it did not resonate with the citizens.

“I have seen that the CHP will not get results with a loud and aggressive rhetoric. Therefore, I will pursue a more inclusive politics,” Özel said. 

After losing the presidential race against Erdoğan in May 2023, Kılıçdaroğlu also lost the party congress to Özel in November.

“I fought (with the AKP) in the parliament for years. Our side loves it very much. But, what is the benefit (of fighting) if we stay in the opposition?” he added for his reasoning for a change in the tone.

After the CHP became the leading party in the March 31st local elections, President Erdoğan and CHP leader Özel met twice, which marked the first meeting of Erdoğan with a main opposition leader in eight years.

The meetings sparked hopes for an era of “normalization” in polarized politics amidst economic turmoil. Though nothing changed substantially in terms of how the government makes politics, Özel still argues that his meetings yielded some results, such as the release of seven generals convicted for their role in the “postmodern coup” of 1997 which ousted the Islamist Welfare (Refah) Party from power.

The CHP’s parliamentary group on Oct. 1 greeted Erdoğan by standing up at the opening session of the new legislative term in the parliament. The CHP group was protesting Erdoğan by not standing up under Kılıçdaroğlu’s leadership in recent years.

On the same day, government-ally far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli surprisingly shook hands with the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party deputies, which he deemed “terrorists” on several occasions.

Bahçeli said, “We are entering a new era. While we want peace in the world, we need to ensure peace in our own country.”

In his interview, Özel also said he did not make any deal with Erdoğan. “I will not change the constitution with someone who does not abide by the existing constitution. I will not sit at the constitutional table while the Gezi case is still pending, while the decisions of the Constitutional Court are not being obeyed, while the decisions of the ECHR are not being obeyed, while the constitution is being carefully violated.”

“Normalization, being able to shake each other's hands, call each other in good times and bad, go to a funeral, give condolences, celebrate Eid... This means: Regardless of who the leader is, addressing that leader out of respect for the members and voters of his party,” Özel added.

Özel also said he would quit politics if the CHP could not become the government in the upcoming election. He noted that he would not run for the presidency.