The reinstated leader of the CHP (Republican People’s Party), Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, has issued a call for unity and moderation within Turkey’s main opposition party amidst the serious tensions and internal disputes plaguing the party, which have led in recent hours to the resignation of the mayor of Izmir, the country’s third-largest city and a CHP electoral stronghold, who has announced his immediate departure from the party in protest at disciplinary measures and the expulsion of several members of the party.
In a letter addressed to members of the party’s executive committee and MPs, Kılıçdaroğlu called on party members to prioritise collective responsibility in the face of growing internal tensions: “At a time when the political climate is becoming harsher, we must put personal ambitions and impulsive reactions behind us, acting with the utmost seriousness and unwavering unity,” he wrote in the letter, according to reports in the Turkish media. “At this historic juncture, as we build our future, we must strive to remain united and ensure that our language is more inclusive than ever,” he added.
The mayor of Izmir leaves the party
Kılıçdaroğlu’s appeal came after the metropolitan mayor of Izmir – Turkey’s third-largest city – announced in the last few hours that he was leaving the party as a way of showing his disagreement with the disciplinary measures and organisational changes pushed through by the new leadership headed by Kılıçdaroğlu. “It is with great sadness and in the hope of returning one day that I am resigning from the Republican People’s Party,” said Cemil Tugay, as quoted by local media.
In his public announcement, Tugay noted that the “absolute nullity” ruling handed down by the courts against the CHP and the events that have subsequently unfolded within the party are known to all, adding: “I see and understand that this process has caused great harm to our party, founded by Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and the founder of our Republic. The successive expulsion decisions taken in recent days are particularly worrying. Yesterday’s dismissal of our provincial chairman in Izmir, along with a group of other provincial chairmen, constitutes a grave injustice and an unacceptable error against the political will of Izmir,” he asserted, explaining the reasons for his departure from the CHP.
Tugay, who upon announcing his resignation publicly acknowledged for the first time that he had signed the petition to call an extraordinary congress with the aim of halting the current course of events within the party, nevertheless admitted that “I understand and realise that our well-intentioned efforts (to convene a new congress) will not yield results within the expected timeframe, and that many of our members will continue to be the target of unjust and illegal attacks”.
“I believe with all my heart that our country needs a Republican People’s Party that works for the rights and well-being of our people, free from all forms of manipulation, control and intrigue,” added the mayor, who concluded by stating that “from now on, I will continue to carry out my duties as mayor of the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality as an independent”.
The Republican People’s Party is currently undergoing one of the most serious crises in its entire history, which is leading many of its members – including its former president Özgür Özel – to consider forming a new party, given the refusal of the new leadership, headed by Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, to convene an urgent party congress. The decisions taken in the coming weeks by Kılıçdaroğlu, who has promised “to clean up” the party of corruption, will be crucial in determining whether the serious crisis within the CHP leads to a split within the political party.
VOTE
EDITORIAL TEAM
🧿 About us
.
Edited and reviewed by:
Pablo Gómez is a specialist in Turkey and has been editor-in-chief of Hispanatolia since 2011. He has been analysing current affairs and geopolitics in Turkey and the surrounding region since 2006.
…
📣 Your ADVERTISING on Hispanatolia
.
🤗 HELP US WITH A DONATION:
💗 Paypal
