Reactions against the normalization policies pursued during Özgür Özel's term have also increased demands for a new congress within the party.
Özel's answers to these demands have sparked new debates.
First, on November 6, 2024, Özel told the press, ’People don't want to hear about congresses, delegates, elections, primaries, blah, blah, blah from the CHP.“ On November 8, he first said, ”I will continue to shake Erdoğan's hand,“ and then made the following statement that started the real debate: ”Let no one beg me for a convention at the expense of the party's vote. Let those who have the power go to the convention.“.
Salıcı criticized Özel, Yücel's response escalated the debate
CHP Istanbul MP and PM member Oğuz Kaan Salıcı responded to Özel's remarks with a post on his Twitter account, saying, “A convention is not a favor, it is a right.”.
However, party spokesperson Deniz Yücel responded harshly to Salıcı's criticism. In his statement, Yücel used expressions such as “sheer arrogance and rabid ambition” against Salıcı, which escalated the debate. This was followed by statements from many party members in support of both Salıcı and Özel.
“As CHP Chairman, I am ending this debate,” he said
Özgür Özel, who was instrumental in the growth of the debate with his statement, made a new statement to Izmir yesterday.
Referring to the ongoing polemic, Özgür Özel said, “As the Chairman of the Republican People's Party, I am ending this debate. From now on, no one from the Republican People's Party should keep the party and the public busy with such introspective agendas. I apologize on behalf of all those who are right and wrong in the discussions, without saying right and wrong. They should leave these unnecessary discussions aside from now on.”.
Deniz Yücel criticized for “lack of courtesy”
Although Özgür Özel said that he ended the debate as the chairman, the criticism did not end. CHP Bursa MP and PM Member Orhan Sarıbal made a new statement today, November 10, 2024. In a statement on his Twitter account, Sarıbal supported Salıcı and criticized both Özel and party spokesperson Deniz Yücel. The following statements stood out in the statement: “The discomfort expressed by Oğuz Kaan Salıcı of course reflects a concern felt by many party members. However, in response to this concern, the extremely impolite attitude of our spokesperson Deniz Yücel is detrimental to the deep-rooted democratic, polyphonic and tolerant structure of our party. This style is seen as a reflection of an almost vindictive attitude towards the elders of our party, its experience and the values it has brought from the past, and creates a worrying image of taking the methods of the government as an example.
“No one should beg for a congress from me”
Sarıbal, in his statement, attacked Özgür Özel this time with the following statements:
“Especially if the words of our General President, “No one should beg for a convention from me”, carry the character of a threat as an arrogant approach fed by the power of the ruling power, this befits neither the deep-rooted democratic culture of our party nor what we have promised to the people. The convention is beyond a personal decision, it is the will of the party delegates.”
Özel said, “No one will raise words”
In a statement he made in Izmir yesterday, Özel said, “From now on, no one in the Republican People's Party will raise words against each other. If someone still speaks, refer them to the conscience of the party. Let no one answer each other. Let's get on with our work,” he concluded. It is not known whether there will be a response from the Özel wing after Sarıbal's statement.