One year after the CHP's 38th Ordinary Congress, the party is once again talking about a ‘congress’.
The change in the CHP's course after Özgür Özel received 37 percent of the vote in his first local elections as the party's chairman started to cause discomfort first among the party's base, then among the parliamentary group and organizations.
The CHP's Antalya camp, scheduled for November 1-3, was canceled after Esenyurt Mayor Ahmet Özer was first detained, then arrested and replaced by a trustee on October 30.
Instead, on the same dates, meetings of the Parliamentary group were held in Istanbul under the name “We Claim the Nation's Will”.
It was learned that many deputies who took the floor at the meetings harshly criticized the CHP's recent ‘normalization’ policies and some of Özgür Özel's statements.
The declaration, which was allegedly to be issued with the signatures of around 50 deputies at the camp in Antalya and which would have included a call for an extraordinary convention if necessary, was suspended due to the operation against the CHP.
Standing up has cracked the party
The ‘normalization’ policy initiated by Özgür Özel in the Republican People's Party did not initially face widespread opposition from the party base.
CHP's 7th President Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu's warnings that “the palace cannot be negotiated with, it must be fought” were criticized by Özgür Özel. “As we normalize, our votes increase. Moreover, Erdoğan has not been able to sue me in the last year” was responded by saying.
However, a letter sent to the CHP group at the opening of Parliament on October 1 “MPs should stand up when Erdoğan enters the plenary” The order caused discomfort, especially among MPs who oppose normalization policies. Nearly 60 MPs waited backstage without entering the plenary to disobey the decision. Some MPs did not stand up for Erdoğan despite entering the plenary.
Özgür Özel's statement in response to the criticism “We were standing up until 2017, then we started not standing up’ is the defense that, “Does the CHP leadership accept the practice of a partisan and biased president?” criticism.
Growing discomfort at the grassroots
Despite all the criticism Özgür Özel received “Our party is in first place” Despite his response, the fact that many polls conducted since October have shown a decline in the CHP's share of the vote, while some polls have shown the AK Party regaining its position as the first party, has diminished the credibility of this argument.
The trustee appointed to the Esenyurt Municipality at the end of October and the lawsuit filed by President Erdoğan against both Özgür Özel and Ekrem İmamoğlu for 1 million in damages each. “We win as we normalize” also dealt a major blow to the thesis.
These developments and the fact that the CHP leadership no longer voiced the demand for a ‘Democratic Parliamentary System’ increased the discomfort among the grassroots. The weak reaction to the trustee appointment in Esenyurt and the failure to gather sufficient mass in Esenyurt also reinforced the perception of a governance crisis in CHP.
‘Don't let anyone beg for a congress from me’ is the straw that broke the camel's back
In a meeting with a group of journalists in Ankara, CHP Chairman Özgür Özel responded to allegations that the party's base is preparing for an extraordinary convention. “Let no one beg for a convention at the expense of the party's vote. Let those who have the power go to the congress.” He used the expressions.
Oğuz Kaan Salıcı, a former CHP deputy chairman, criticized Özel's statement that “nobody should beg for a convention from me” was not a language in line with party traditions.
Salıcı is among the deputies opposing the party leadership, “A convention in the Republican People's Party is not a favor, it is a right. If necessary, the Republican People's Party will hold a convention.” and expressed his reaction.
The release also said, “The Republican People's Party is not a party founded on polls. It does not determine its politics according to survey results” He also criticized Özgür Özel's stance on many issues, including normalization, Özgür Özel's statement on the bribery investigation in the US and his ‘joking’ with MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli at the opening of the Parliament.
Did Salıcı announce his candidacy?
Oğuz Kaan Salıcı's statement directly responding to Özgür Özel “Salıcı announces his candidacy” that it was not a good idea.
Another claim was that Salıcı made this statement on the instruction of Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, the CHP's 7th chairman.
However, according to the information we have obtained, this statement was neither an announcement of candidacy nor made on Kılıçdaroğlu's instruction.
Oğuz Kaan Salıcı, who has been in charge of CHP organizations for many years, preferred this method to convey the reactions from the organizations and the party base to the headquarters.
In addition, the grassroots are now loudly discussing that “If there is a change in the basic policies of the party, it cannot be decided by the party's chairman and the FMC.
At the 38th Ordinary Congress, Özgür Özel did not receive authorization from the congress delegates either for ‘normalization’ or for a return to the ‘Democratic Parliamentary System”. He has no authority to make such a radical policy change without authorization from the congress, the highest decision-making body of the party. If he thinks that these policies are right and that they resonate with the grassroots, then he should get authorization from the congress." It is said that he made such a move in order to prevent the discussions on this issue.
Imamoglu is in the decision phase
The CHP needs the signatures of more than half of the delegates to hold an extraordinary convention. Although there is no signature campaign at this stage, it is known that the internal opposition is keeping its finger on the pulse. However, it is stated that in order to convene an extraordinary convention, the attitude of the delegates close to Ekrem İmamoğlu, the IBB Mayor who supported Özgür Özel in the last convention, and the district mayors in Istanbul close to Erdoğan Toprak will be important.
It is claimed that some names close to Ekrem İmamoğlu and members of the media close to him have recently criticized Özgür Özel and İmamoğlu has shared his discomfort with some steps of the party administration with his close circle and some names close to Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu.
In this situation, many sources in the CHP confirm that it would not be a surprise if the CHP convenes an extraordinary congress at the end of December with a delegate campaign to be launched in the field.
Although there are names such as Gökhan Günaydın and Oğuz Kaan Salıcı who are currently standing against Özgür Özel, a large part of the base thinks that if both names are elected, it could pave the way for a new division within the party. For this reason “A chairman who is respected by all segments of the party and who can carry the party to the elections in unity and integrity” Most say it would be easier to agree on a candidate.
In addition, an extraordinary congress would also end the allegation of a ‘shady congress’, which President Erdoğan has recently voiced but the CHP administration has not responded to, and all kinds of blackmail and operations against the CHP during the election process by the government could be eliminated.