07.09.2026 12:50
New Party Chairman Özgür Özel inaugurated a 'smoke-free' era within the party by banning smoking in organization buildings during the provincial chairmen meeting. Özel's directive brought to mind President Erdoğan, who is known for his sensitivity on smoking.
The new party chairman, Ozgur Ozel, issued a special instruction at the provincial leaders' meeting that smoking should not be allowed in party buildings. This step, reminiscent of President Erdogan's tobacco control policies in the public sphere, came alongside Ozel and CHP leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu banning their organizations from political polemics.
OZEL'S "DO NOT SMOKE" INSTRUCTION At the provincial leaders' meeting he organized, Ozgur Ozel announced the party's new term roadmap while making notable decisions regarding the physical order of the organizations and public health. Emphasizing the cleanliness and order of party buildings, Ozel requested that smoking in organization buildings be prevented and that, as much as possible, no one should smoke.
Packages collected by President Erdogan in the fight against smoking are on display IT BROUGHT PRESIDENT ERDOGAN TO MIND Ozel's request for a smoking ban and restriction in party buildings brought to mind, in political circles, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's steadfast tobacco control policies of many years. Erdogan's "Smoke-Free Turkey" vision, known for the indoor area bans beginning in 2008, uniform packaging, and citizens collecting cigarette packs to display at the Presidential Complex, was thus reflected in the opposition party's internal discipline rules.
ALONGSIDE THE SMOKING BAN, A "POLEMIC EMBARGO" At the meeting, not only physical arrangements but also the language of political discourse was reshaped. The new party leader, Ozel, gave his organizations a clear instruction not to engage in any debate with the CHP, saying: "We are no longer an opposition party. We will become the government. Do not see yourselves as an opposition party. We are at a point not of merely criticizing but of proposing solutions. Do not enter into any debate regarding the invalid administration; do not engage in polemics. Everyone should mind their own business. We will not diminish our presence in the field. A full-court press, one hundred percent."
Kilicdaroglu and Ozel displayed this image recently SIMILAR WARNING FROM KILICDAROGLU On the other hand, CHP Chairman Kemal Kilicdaroglu also gave similar guidance to his close team and organization. It was learned that Kilicdaroglu told his aides, "For us, there is no polemic. There are no unnecessary matters. Tell people what the CHP will do. Do not talk about the NEW Party." Kilicdaroglu banned the public discussion of internal party topics such as presidential candidacy, leadership debates, and the date of the congress, stating that the focus should be entirely on solution proposals for the country's problems.