What is happening within the CHP today cannot be dismissed as a mere internal party dispute. The treatment meted out to Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu—who served as the party’s leader for years and has garnered the support of millions of citizens—highlights just how eroded political decorum and democratic culture have become.
The fact that the group’s meeting hall was taken over by a specific faction, that chants of “Traitor Kemal” rang out at the doors, and that those with differing views were excluded has created a situation that is incompatible with the CHP’s founding values. It is unacceptable for a political party to treat its own history, its own party leader, and its own institutional memory with such disregard.
What is even more striking is that those who yesterday claimed credit for the successes achieved under Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu’s leadership are now trying to pin all the failures on the same person. Criticism is, of course, inevitable in politics. However, when the line between criticism and a witch hunt is crossed, what emerges is not democracy, but intolerance.
Today’s events demonstrate why the debates surrounding the CHP’s 37th Congress have persisted for years. It seems unlikely that these debates will come to an end until the allegations regarding irregularities at the Congress, the influence exerted on delegates, and internal power struggles within the party are clarified.
That is precisely why this is not just about Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu. The issue is what values politics should be built upon. If insults, exclusion, and discrediting become the norm within a party, there is no guarantee that they will not be replaced by even harsher methods tomorrow.
For years, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu has called for clean politics, saying, “We will purge ourselves.” He has argued that politics must be purged of corruption, conflicts of interest, and personal agendas. You may agree or disagree with this call; however, the demand for clean politics itself cannot be dismissed.
Today, everyone in Turkey who champions honesty, transparency, and political ethics must carefully assess the current situation. Because the issue at stake is bigger than any individual. The question is whether politics will yield to principles or to power struggles.
History does not record those who remain silent in difficult times; it records those who take a stand when they witness injustice. For this reason, everyone who advocates for political ethics, transparency, and clean politics must speak out. Because democracy can only thrive in environments where differing views can be freely expressed and people are not demonized.