Turkey’s CHP reprimands its mayor over remarks against former leader Kılıçdaroğlu

Turkey’s main opposition CHP reprimanded Bolu Mayor Tanju Özcan over his remarks against its former leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu. Özcan last month accused Kılıçdaroğlu of “being obsessed with power.”

Thursday August 29 2024 12:03 am

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Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) on Aug. 28 reprimanded its Bolu Mayor Tanju Özcan for targeting its former leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu.

He was previously referred to the party’s disciplinary board in July after he once again addressed and criticized Kılıçdaroğlu in a social media post.

Özcan said, “He supposedly has 50 loyal deputies. Are you a god or a cult leader? What does loyal deputy mean?" he asked the former party chair, accusing him of “being obsessed with power.”

The party decided to reprimand Özcan unanimously at a board meeting on Aug. 28.

In a social media post, Özcan mocked the decision and said he broke a world record.

“I have received all the penalties (Warning, Reprimand, Temporary Expulsion and Final Expulsion) that a party member can receive. I think I have qualified for the Guinness World Records with this performance,” he said.

CHP Yüksek Disiplin Kurulu, bugün hakkımda kınama cezası vermiş. Kararı saygı ile karşılıyorum ama enteresan bir durum ile karşı karşıyayım. Bu kararla dünya tarihine geçtim.

Niye mi? Bir partilinin alabileceği (Uyarı, Kınama, Geçici İhraç ve Kesin İhraç) bütün cezaları almış…
— Tanju ÖZCAN (@tanjuozcanchp) August 28, 2024

Kılıçdaroğlu was the CHP leader between 2010 and 2023 as he lost the last party congress to Özgür Özel after his presidential election defeat.

“If death comes to me one day, I do not want you to attend my funeral. What a shame, for all the efforts I put into you,” Kılıçdaroğlu responded to Özcan. “What does 'Are you a god?' mean? God forbid. What does 'Are you a cult leader?' mean? My life has been spent fighting against cults.”

Özcan had criticized Kılıçdaroğlu’s presidential candidacy in 2023’s general elections and marched from Bolu to the CHP headquarters in the capital Ankara demanding a change of party leadership after the defeat.

Özcan was also previously expelled from the party for his sexist remarks towards a municipal council member from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).

As the local elections of March 31 drew near, the party pardoned Özcan as part of its Republic’s Centennial program. Özcan ran again as CHP’s mayoral candidate for Bolu and won with 52.9 percent of the votes.

He is also known for his anti-refugee discourse, introducing a series of xenophobic measures in the province.