Today, the Republican People's Party is not only facing a political crisis; it is also confronting its historical identity. Because the issue is no longer an ordinary internal party debate. The issue is the political line to which the founding party of the Republic has been dragged.
The CHP, which once represented the seriousness of the state, public morality, merit and Republican decency, is today increasingly being sucked into the disease of post-modern politics. Politics is no longer based on ideas, principles and popular struggle, but on perception operations, media management, social media engineering and municipality-based power centers.
The greatest danger surrounding the party today is not attacks from outside, but the normalization of internal decay.
Because society is no longer only watching the mistakes of the government. They also carefully observe what the opposition has become. People are questioning why a party that for years has been making the rhetoric of “clean politics”, “transparency” and “accountability” constantly develops a protective reflex in the face of the ethical debates around it.
Why are criticisms not investigated?
Why is every objection seen as “betrayal”?
Why are different voices within the party suppressed?
Why are municipality-based power centers becoming untouchable?
This is where public anger grows.
Because the millions of people who vote for the CHP do not see this party merely as an opposition organization. They want to see in the CHP the political backbone of the Republic, the state mind and its moral claim.
And today that trust is seriously eroding.
THE ORDER OF UNTOUCHABLE NAMES AND THE CRISIS OF MORAL SUPERIORITY IN CHP
The party structure under Özgür Özel is now producing a serious crisis of confidence. Because for a long time now, the CHP leadership has been using a political language that targets critics instead of managing criticism.
The intensely personalized political language around Ekrem İmamoğlu, the municipality-centered consolidation of power and the ever-growing PR politics push the party's institutional identity into the background.
The harsh polarizing language used by names such as Veli Ağbaba and Ali Mahir Başarır further exacerbates the tension within the party. The CHP is now dominated by a culture of partisanship rather than a debate of ideas.
When there is an ethical debate about a municipality, the facts are not investigated first;
first the defense line is being set up.
When an allegation is raised, transparency is not ensured first;
first they say “there is an operation”.
When someone from within the party speaks, there is no accounting first;
before the silencing mechanism kicks in.
This understanding increases public concern that the CHP is beginning to resemble the political culture it has criticized for years.
Today people are asking:
Does the CHP really want to change the system?,
or does he just want to be the new ruler of the order?
Because the public now sees the new political aristocracy forming in municipal circles.
He sees the comfort of office.
He sees the relationships of the immediate environment.
He sees the distance between PR politics and truth.
And most importantly:
He sees the climate of fear within the party.
However, the idea of the Republic is based on a culture of criticism, not obedience.
The true CHP tradition is the tradition of loyalty to principles, not to individuals.
PURIFICATION OR COLLAPSE: THE HISTORICAL RECKONING FOR THE CHP
For the CHP today, the issue is not just about winning elections. The real issue is whether the founding party of the Republic can preserve its historical legitimacy.
Because political movements collapse not by losing elections, but by losing the moral high ground.
Today, a real political confrontation is needed within the CHP, not just photos of unity that have been made up.
Anyone about whom there is an ethical debate;
no matter which municipality he works in,
no matter which headquarters he is close to,
whatever media support it has must be held to account.
The immunity of MPs with criminal proceedings must be lifted.
Party memberships of names that have been implicated should be suspended until they are cleared.
Municipalities should be opened to independent audit.
Criticism within the party should not be suppressed, but made part of institutional accounting.
Because true loyalty is not to individuals, but to the Republic.
There are two paths for the CHP today:
Either it will return to the publicist, populist, merit-based, state-serious Republican line...
Or it will become commonplace in municipality-centered power struggles, PR politics and interest relations.
And it should not be forgotten:
If the CHP becomes mediocre, not only one party is weakened.
The political memory of the Republic is wounded.
That's why today it's not about the seat;
this is about the future of the Republic.
YELLOWING SYNDROME IN THE PARTY OF THE REPUBLIC
One of the biggest criticisms of the government in Turkey for many years was this:
“Detachment from the people.”
The growth of the authorities
The upscaleization of politics
Armies of bodyguards
The VIP scheme
Tender circles
Political elites who see themselves as superior to the people...
For years, the CHP criticized this very order.
So why has society today started to ask the same questions to the CHP?
Because there is an image that cannot be denied:
A new municipality-based political class is emerging.
On the one hand, millions struggling to make ends meet,
on the other side the ever-growing political showcases...
On the one hand, the discourse of “populism”,
on the other hand, a ruling profile that is increasingly detached from the people...
And most importantly:
New political figures who have become uncritical...
The biggest break the CHP is experiencing today is not ideological, but moral.
Because society now thinks that:
“Is the power poisoning once criticized now being reproduced in other hands?”
This question is devastating for the CHP.
Because the CHP's raison d'être is not only to be an alternative to the government.
The historical meaning of the CHP;
It is to represent the republican state ethos.
But today's picture points to the opposite.
Politics is increasingly turning into a municipality-centered career field.
Organizations are becoming increasingly ineffective.
Party workers are increasingly devalued.
Those who show loyalty, not ideas, rise.
And in the process, it is the hardest hit;
It is a republican political culture.
Because the real power of the CHP has never been social media.
Real power;
was the memory of the organization,
ideological depth,
it was state seriousness,
was a claim to public morality.
Today instead:
PR meetings,
controlled media language,
perception management
and it's all showcase politics.
But the truth is this:
No PR work,
cannot hide moral erosion.
No slogan,
cannot cover the loss of trust in society.
No media operation,
can't silence the rupture of conscience in the party base.
Today, the CHP leadership is still trying to read the issue only as an “attack on the government”.
However, a significant part of society says something else:
“We are no longer just about power,
We are also disturbed by the transformation of the opposition.”
This is the real alarm.
Because for the first time in many years, people in Turkey feel the fear that the opposition might also be corrupt so strongly.
And as this fear grows,
The CHP is not only losing political support;
it is also losing its historical credibility.
Because people do not only expect the CHP to win elections.
He expects the Republic to carry its weight.
But the image that emerged today;
Not republican dignity,
is an increasingly fierce power struggle.
And the biggest collapse for all founding movements throughout history,
have become commonplace in their own right.
This is the biggest danger facing the CHP today:
The party of the Republic,
that at the end of the day it becomes just another power organization.
FROM INTRA-PARTY DEMOCRACY TO INTRA-PARTY FEAR
The most fundamental feature of the idea of a republic is this:
It grows institutions, not individuals.
That is why the true Republican is in the political culture;
criticism is not hostility,
is an indicator of organizational health.
But today, a different climate is gradually emerging within the Republican People's Party.
People are now afraid to speak their minds openly.
Because everyone sees the same thing:
Those who think differently within the party are quickly isolated.
Critics are either silenced under the label of “betrayal” or politically purged.
Instead of the natural reflex of organizations, the reflex of fear is growing.
And this creates not only a political but also a psychological break for the CHP.
Because a culture of fear rots a party from within.
This is one of the biggest disturbances in the CHP base today:
It gives the impression that the party is gradually transforming from a structure that produces common sense into a closed order that acts within the boundaries drawn by certain power centers.
There used to be discussions in neighborhood organizations.
Today, people are hesitant to talk even in WhatsApp groups.
There was a time when internal party opposition was part of the Republican dynamism.
Today, those who criticize are accused of “serving the other side”.
There was a time when political struggle in the CHP was conducted on ideological grounds.
Today it is an issue in many places;
municipal power,
nomination calculations,
close environmental relations
and media support.
This is the real unraveling of the CHP.
Because when politics shifts from the ground of principle to the ground of interest,
parties gradually lose their ideological identity.
Today many people in the party are asking the same question:
“Has there really been a Republican renewal,
or is it just a new power group?”
And even the emergence of this problem is a big alarm for the CHP.
Because of the historical power of the Republican People's Party;
not their personal charisma,
from its institutional memory.
But today the party is increasingly dependent on individuals.
Names are growing,
the institution is shrinking.
PR is growing,
ideology is shrinking.
The showcase is growing,
the organization is shrinking.
And the most dangerous:
Loyalty is no longer to the principles of the Republic,
are starting to be measured by individuals.
However, in the true CHP tradition, no one is exempt from criticism.
Neither the president...
Neither the mayor...
Neither MP
No politician with media power...
The essence of republican politics is accountability.
That's why the challenge today is not to come up with new slogans.
The real need;
is to re-establish a culture of free debate within the party.
Because when a political movement starts to fear criticism,
he starts to lose touch with reality.
Any structure that breaks away from the truth will soon believe its own propaganda.
And history shows;
movements that start to believe their own propaganda,
are movements in the process of collapse.
MORAL CRISIS AND HISTORICAL RESPONSIBILITY IN THE PARTY OF THE REPUBLIC
Politics in Turkey has been experiencing a major erosion of trust for many years. People are now skeptical not only of the government but also of the entire political system. Because in the eyes of the public, politics has gradually transformed from a struggle for principles into an organization of power, career and interest.
This is precisely why the Republican People's Party cannot behave like an ordinary party.
Because the CHP's historical burden is different from other parties.
This party is not just an election machine.
This party;
It is the political memory of the Republic,
is the bearer of the state mind,
is representative of the claim to public morality.
And it is precisely for this reason that every moral breakdown in the CHP produces a far greater destruction of trust in society than a normal party crisis.
The basic fear in the minds of millions of people in Turkey today is this:
“If even the political tradition that founded the Republic becomes corrupt,
who will defend political morality in this country?”
This is precisely the historical burden on the CHP's shoulders.
But the image that emerged today,
seriously contradicts this historical weight.
Because society is no longer just opposition around the CHP;
but also sees a new political elitism.
The language of arrogance that was once criticized...
The feeling of immunity, which was criticized for a while...
Power-centered politics, which was once criticized...
Today, it is being discussed again with other actors.
And this is not only political for the CHP,
is a break in the level of civilization.
Because Republican politics is not just about winning elections.
Republican politics;
is the responsibility to produce moral exemplars.
A MOMENT OF CONFRONTATION IN CHP: SILENCE OR REPUBLICAN RESISTANCE?
At certain moments in history, political movements have to confront not only their opponents but also their own conscience.
Today, the Republican People's Party is on such a threshold.
Because it is no longer just about municipalities.
It is not only about internal party debates.
Issue;
The founding party of the Republic,
whether it can preserve its own historical character.
And the biggest danger at this point is not external pressures,
is a state of acclimatization inside.
Getting used to the shadows
Getting used to ethical debates...
Getting used to power centers...
Getting used to the climate of fear...
Getting used to the suppression of criticism.
The biggest collapse for a political movement,
not his defense of wrong;
is to get used to wrong.
Today many people within the CHP are disturbed.
But at the same time many people are silent.
Because people are no longer just about political opponents,
He is also wary of the balance of power within his own party.
This is extremely dangerous for Republican politics.
Because the idea of the Republic,
not obey,
is the idea of the objecting citizen.
Today, this is what the CHP needs to get back on its feet,
not controlled slogans;
moral courage.
People within the party should now be able to say clearly:
“Yes, let it be investigated if it is wrong.”
“Yes, if there is an ethical crisis, don't cover it up.”
“Yes, whoever the name is, let him be held accountable.”
This is the true Republican reflex.
But today, on the contrary, another reflex is growing:
“Let's not talk now.”
“Don't let the party suffer.”
“Silence is more useful.”
Yet all the great decays throughout history have grown up with these very sentences.
Because silence turns into moral paralysis over time.
And political movements suffering from moral paralysis,
after a while it loses its own reality.
The fundamental question facing the CHP today is this:
Will this party become a Republican grassroots movement again?,
or will it evolve into an ordinary political structure ruled by municipality-based power organizations?
This is precisely the historical reckoning.
Because the CHP is not just a party that gets votes.
This party is also the Republic's psychological defense line.
When people look at the CHP;
wants to see the seriousness of the state,
wants to see public morality,
wants to see commitment to merit,
loyalty to principles, not to individuals.
But the picture that emerged today undermines this expectation.
And this is the gravest danger:
The erosion of public faith in Republican politics.
Because when people start to lose hope,
politics does not only harden;
it also rots.
That is why what the CHP needs today is not new showcases.
Nor are they new slogans.
What is needed;
is to reproduce a moral backbone.
Because it is not only elections that keep the Republic alive,
it is the conscience of people who believe in the Republic.
And when conscience is lost,
only the struggle for power remains.
THE LAST ACT: THE PARTY OF THE REPUBLIC WILL EITHER CLEANSE ITSELF OR BE CRUSHED UNDER THE BURDEN OF HISTORY
Today, there is a reality that no political makeup can cover up:
The Republican People's Party is in the midst of a severe identity crisis.
And this crisis is not only administrative.
This crisis is also a moral, cultural and historical crisis.
Because CHP has not only been the name of the opposition in Turkey for many years.
At the same time, he became the political carrier of the idea of the Republic.
People did not just vote for this party.
He gave it a meaning.
He uploaded a date.
He imposed a conscience.
This is precisely why today's unraveling cannot be seen as an ordinary party crisis.
Because it is not about a few municipalities.
It is not about a few politicians.
Issue;
The founding party of the Republic,
whether it has lost its soul in post-modern power relations.
And a significant part of the society now carries a very heavy suspicion:
“Does the CHP really promise a Republican transformation?,
or are only the new rulers of the existing order being prepared?”
That is the question,
is the biggest historical question facing the party today.
Because politics is not just the art of winning elections.
Politics is also a matter of moral representation.
And it is not only political disagreement that is at the root of public anger against the CHP today.
The real issue is the breakdown of trust.
People are tired of this image:
On the one hand, the constant discourse of morality...
On the other side, reflexive defense against ethical debates...
On the one hand, the emphasis on populism...
On the other side, political elitism distancing itself from the people...
On the one hand, the rhetoric of accountability...
On the other side, a culture of fear that suppresses criticism...
This is the real crisis the CHP is facing today:
The gap between rhetoric and image.
And history shows;
when the distance between discourse and reality grows,
political movements first build social trust,
then it loses its historical weight.
What needs to be done today is very clear:
A real confrontation must be initiated within the party.
One should not be afraid to speak out.
Ethical debate should not be suppressed.
Criticism should not be seen as hostility.
The culture of untouchable politicians must end.
Because Republican politics is not their personality,
grows institutions.
If the CHP really wants to rebuild trust;
must first come to terms with the power relations within itself.
Municipalities should be independently audited.
People with criminal records should not hide behind political armor of protection.
The order of fear within the party must be dismantled.
The organization must be given a voice again.
And most importantly:
CHP has to become a party of ideas again.
Because that is the biggest danger today;
The party of the Republic,
is gradually turning into a showcase party.
Yet this is what has historically made the CHP great;
not media power,
intellectual depth.
Not social media,
organizational culture.
Not personal careers,
It was his commitment to the Republican ideal.
And if that spirit is lost today,
only a political movement is not weakened.
The social memory of the Republic is also wounded.
So it is no longer just about politics.
Issue;
The future of the Republic,
on which moral ground it will rise.
And history,
and those who see the rot in themselves and remain silent,
judges as harshly as those who grow that rot.