15.02.2025 20:21
CHP Chairman Özgür Özel spoke about the photo taken during the meeting with Ekrem İmamoğlu and Mansur Yavaş. Özel said, "We took perhaps the most heartwarming photo in Turkey's political history. We came together, hand in hand, shoulder to shoulder."
CHP General Chairman Özgür Özel visited the municipality and the district presidency of his party in Salihli, Manisa. Özel explained that CHP district presidencies have appointed polling officials to 182,000 ballot boxes across the country and stated that they will conduct an election drill.
ÖZEL: WE WILL CONDUCT AN ELECTION DRILL
Özel said: "All polling officials will wake up at 5:30 AM on a morning around the end of May. They will go to school as if there is an election. They will enter the code held by the school official. There will be a mock result report, and they will send a photo to the headquarters. We will conduct a complete election drill. We will not carry those who do not participate in the drill to the election day, where we will have a great struggle, as military personnel. Those who attend the drill will be polling officials, and we will replace those who do not attend. The party's program is being prepared."
"I AM NOT A CANDIDATE"
Özel stated that he will not be a candidate for president and also spoke about the photo taken during a recent meeting with Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and Ankara Metropolitan Mayor Mansur Yavaş.
Özel said: "I am not a candidate; the party will have a candidate. Where will we find the right candidate? We will look at the polls. There are two very important names in the polls. Both are winning, but if I were to make the decision alone, I would think, 'Why not me instead of him?' I had already promised at the congress that we would determine the presidential candidate through a primary election. Mayor Mansur said, 'I will not enter the primary; I will respect the result.'
"WE TOOK THE SMILEIEST PHOTO IN TURKEY'S POLITICAL HISTORY"
If I am assigned a duty, I will fulfill it; if not, I will be happy if the election is won. I am always at the service of the party, regardless of the situation, and we will provide support if it is needed for the party to win. If I am needed, I will definitely be here in a functional and undamaged way,' he said. Our Mayor Ekrem also said words that fully support this. I said the same thing, and we took perhaps the smileiest photo in Turkey's political history. We came together, hand in hand, shoulder to shoulder.