CHP's 38th Ordinary Congress started today in Ankara with the slogan “Democracy and Unity Congress in the Second Century”. In the congress, which will be chaired by Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, 1,367 congress delegates from 81 provinces will elect the new chairman and the new party administration.
İlhan Cihaner withdraws from candidacy
Minutes before the start of the congress, İlhan Cihaner, one of the CHP's presidential candidates, withdrew his candidacy, saying “I will not be a part of this antidemocratic race.”.
To the public and the delegates of the 38th Congress,
Dear members of the CHPOur 38th Congress, where our party's past accounting should have been made, the path to the future and power should have been discussed, and the political direction should have been determined, unfortunately, those who brought the party to this day were divided into two, and the progressive...
- İlhan Cihaner (@ilhancihaner) November 4, 2023
Cihaner's statement on social media is as follows:
To the public and the delegates of the 38th Congress,
Dear members of the CHP
Our 38th Congress, which was supposed to make an accounting of our party's past, discuss the path to the future and power, and determine the political direction, was unfortunately condemned to a stalemate in which those who brought the party to this day were divided into two and a progressive transformation and reconstruction was stifled.
Instead of discussing political approaches and identifying competent cadres, an ugly environment was created where municipal facilities were competed.
On the other hand, by creating a perception of power through intense media manipulation, the congress process was transformed into a “politics-free” psychological war in which only two people competed. The democratic representation of other candidates was prevented by turning the signature declarations resembling the participation of the “Homeland Front” into pressure. So much so that by spreading rumors that “signature support would be given to other candidates”, the support of our delegates who supported us was made questionable.
WE REFUSE TO BE PART OF THIS ANTI-DEMOCRATIC, POLITICIZED AND PERSONALIZED RACE!
We express our respect and gratitude to all our comrades who have signed our petition and given us their shoulders.
The road is long and arduous.
We keep our hope alive that our Assembly Delegates, most of whom come from great struggles, will choose the right thing despite all these anti-democratic conditions.
Long Live the Republican People's Party, Long Live the Republic! We for the Future
İlhan Cihaner