Ankara Mayor Yavaş thinks ‘too early’ to name CHP’s presidential candidate

Main opposition CHP’s Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavaş warned that it was “too early” to name the party’s presidential candidate since the election date has not yet been scheduled. His remarks came after the party announced that it would hold primaries to name the candidate within two months.

Monday February 03 2025 11:08 pm

Duvar English

Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavaş, from the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), on Feb. 3 said that it was “too early” to name the party’s presidential candidate.

Speaking with reporters after an earthquake event in the capital Ankara, Yavaş said, “I think it is too early to name the candidate. The date of the election is not scheduled. First of all, I think that the (possible) candidates should not exhaust each other's energy during this economic crisis.”

CHP leader Özgür Özel recently announced that his party would hold party primaries to name the presidential candidate. The process is expected to last two months.

However, the next presidential and general election are scheduled to be held in 2028 in case of no snap election.

When asked, “Does that mean that you will not be a candidate if there is a primary?”, Yavaş said, “Of course not. I just think that it is too early.”

However, Yavaş also urged that elections should be held as soon as possible.

“I advise the AKP MPs and executives to go outside and look at the situation of the citizens. They will extend (the process) to 2028 and see if the economy will recover. I am of the opinion that they cannot take it to 2028. Let it happen at the earliest.”

Similarly, Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu recently called for an early election “immediately.”

In case of a CHP primary to name its presidential candidate, Yavaş and İmamoğlu are likely to run against each other as they are seen as popular rivals to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Topics CHP presidential election Mansur Yavaş Ekrem İmamoğlu