01.02.2025 12:20
The leader of the CHP, Özgür Özel, who announced that they have started their presidential candidacy efforts, also revealed their roadmap. Former CHP Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, who criticized Özel's move in strong terms, stated, "The first thing the CHP leadership should do today is to immediately put an end to the discussions of 'who will be the president?'"
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Last week, CHP Chairman Özgür Özel, who stated that they have kicked off the process to determine presidential candidates during his speech at the party's group meeting, had explained the details of the process.
ÖZEL EXPLAINED THE SYSTEM THEY WILL IMPLEMENT
Özel emphasized that they will determine the presidential candidates with the votes of everyone who registers with the party, saying, "We are starting today. I tell everyone who says I want to determine my presidential candidate. Today is the first day. Once an official announcement is made and a date is set day by day, those who come after that will no longer be able to vote. I am addressing retirees, workers, the poor, and especially the youth. Are you ready to determine the next president who will make the party of Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk the ruling party in the first election of the 2nd century of the Republic? We are waiting for you at the ancestral home. Everyone who registers with the party will be able to vote in the presidential candidate selection. We invite Turkey. We are setting out," he stated.
KILIÇDAROĞLU: IT BENEFITS ERDOĞAN
Following this statement, the race for candidacy between Ekrem İmamoğlu and Mansur Yavaş accelerated within the CHP, while a notable statement came from former CHP Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu. In statements to Saygı Öztürk from Sözcü newspaper, Kılıçdaroğlu said, "Keeping the presidential candidacy as if it were our only agenda and problem lowers the motivation of the opposition bloc and our party while relieving the government. Starting a race within the party for the presidential elections from today polarizes the parties and ultimately benefits Erdoğan. To put it more clearly, such a process means placing a pulled pin hand grenade inside the party. If we start a presidential debate from today, the agenda of the voters will diverge from the agenda of the party. This will harm the party the most. In other words, the perception of 'the sheep is concerned about its life, and the butcher is concerned about the meat' will settle in the public's memory," he said.
"PUT AN IMMEDIATE END TO THESE DISCUSSIONS"
Continuing his remarks, Kılıçdaroğlu emphasized that these discussions need to be ended immediately, saying, "Let's say this process will continue. What will multiple presidential candidates promise when they say 'choose me' or 'vote for me' to party members? What will they say? Even when the party's view is not clear or does not exist! Considering the pollution on social media and the duties of troll armies, wouldn't an internal smear campaign benefit Erdoğan the most? The first thing the CHP management needs to do today is to put an immediate end to the discussions of 'who will be the president?'" he stated.
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