CHP Sakarya Provincial Disciplinary Board expelled many names known to be in opposition to Ecevit Keleş and the current provincial administration in Adapazarı, Karasu and Hendek districts from the party, citing their social media posts in 2023.
After the 38th Ordinary Assembly, Yiğit Sağlam, a 22-year-old young member of the party, was among those expelled from the CHP for their posts on social media.
During the 2024 Local Elections, Yiğit Sağlam allegedly posted humiliating posts about CHP candidates on his social media accounts and shared insinuations about the party's failure in the Sakarya Metropolitan, Adapazarı and Serdivan Mayoral elections.
The Sakarya Provincial Executive Board convened upon the referral of the district chairmanship and sent the file to the Provincial Disciplinary Board with the request for “definitive dismissal”.
“HUMAN KINDNESS CANNOT BE CRIMINALIZED”
Yiğit Sağlam gave a comprehensive three-page defense against the allegations against him and rejected the accusations. Stating that he has worked for the CHP since he was a child and has never voted for any other party, Sağlam made the following statements in his defense:
“My congratulations to my relative who is a candidate in another electoral district is not an endorsement of another party, but only a human courtesy. It is de facto impossible for me to support a candidate in a place where I do not even reside. It is unfair that such acts of courtesy are considered a party crime.”
The Provincial Disciplinary Board examined the social media posts presented as evidence. Sağlam's post “May your path be clear, my friend” for Sarıoğlan Mayor Candidate Fatma Yıldız and the emojis he put next to the names of Sakarya, Adapazarı and Serdivan districts were evaluated within the scope of “open or secret work against party candidates”.
UNANIMOUS FINAL DISMISSAL DECISION
As a result of the evaluation, the board concluded that Yiğit Sağlam's actions violated the party's bylaws. With the decision taken on 09.01.2025, it was unanimously decided to punish the 22-year-old Sağlam with “definitive expulsion” from CHP membership. The decision stated that the appeal to the Supreme Disciplinary Board (YDK) is open.
After the decision, Yiğit Sağlam made a written statement to the public.
Yigit Saglam's statement is as follows:
“It is with great sadness that I have learned today that I have been expelled from my party, which I entered when I was only 10 years old, in which I spent my childhood and youth, and whose values I grew up with.
For me, this decision is not just a political process; it is a profound shaking of an important part of my life. Because I am not someone who came into this structure as an afterthought. I grew up as a child hanging posters, taking part in polling stations, working in university commissions. This roof was much more than a political identity for me.
Among the accusations against me as grounds for dismissal; I targeted party executives and some local structures, used derogatory expressions over Sakarya - Serdivan - Adapazarı and wished success to Fatma Yıldız (Saadet Party Kayseri Sarıoğlan mayoral candidate). I would like to state clearly and unequivocally that I have never had any intention to insult my city, our districts or any level of my party. If I have criticisms, they are not insults, but an effort to ask for better.
I leave it to the public's discretion that my congratulating a classmate in Kayseri, as a matter of human and personal courtesy, has been made a disciplinary matter. Wishing success to a friend, regardless of his/her political views, is a natural part of the culture of democracy, social maturity and human relations. I would like to emphasize that I find it difficult to understand why this is considered a “crime”.
In every position I have held throughout my political life, I have tried to grow and strengthen my organization and to carry the values I represent to a higher level. I have not committed any of the accusations against me. I have not been involved in any behavior that would harm, humiliate or betray my party.
I believe that this process has been intentionally magnified through misinterpreted statements. However, despite this, I will not be involved in any discourse that will harm the corporate identity of my party. I have always practiced politics not with individuals, but with principles and values.
Today I am sad. I am resentful. I am thoughtful. But my head is high because my conscience is clear. I have never betrayed this structure to which I have devoted most of my life, and I never will.”
SENOL IT IS AN HONOR TO BE DISMISSED FOR NOT BENDING AND TWISTING
Among those expelled from the CHP was İbrahim Şenol, who worked at various levels of the party.
Ibrahim Şenol said, “Local actors who are supposedly extreme democracy advocates are in the process of liquidating us. We learned not to obey and to live free from our ancestors who died for their homeland a hundred years ago. It is an honor to be dismissed because we do not obey the armchair lovers or bend and twist like them.”.