13.07.2026 21:00
Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, who returned to the CHP General Chairman seat with the court's 'absolute nullity' decision, made a clear call to Özgür Özel, who is alleged to be preparing to establish a new party. Reacting to these allegations, Kılıçdaroğlu said, "There is no need for Özgür Özel to leave the party. We did not fight or come to blows. However, there can be no parallel structure within the party."
Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, who returned to the CHP General Chairmanship with the 'absolute nullity' decision from the court, made a clear call to Özgür Özel, who is alleged to be preparing to establish a new party.
“ÖZEL DOES NOT NEED TO LEAVE THE PARTY...”
Speaking on a live broadcast program on tv100, Kılıçdaroğlu reacted to the allegations, saying, “This cannot happen. We talk, we did not fight, we did not come to blows. We last spoke a month and a half ago. Özel does not need to leave the party.”
“WHOEVER DIVIDES THE PARTY SERVES ERDOĞAN”
The relevant part of Kılıçdaroğlu's statements on the issue is as follows: “The CHP's fundamental characteristic is that it is a party where internal debates are intense. There have been occasional departures and arguments. We must consider the party's internal discussions natural. The ongoing debates also show the party's indispensability for Turkey. Our congresses have a festive atmosphere. Delegates of a party should cast their votes without being influenced. The division of the CHP would benefit Erdoğan. Whoever divides the party serves Erdoğan. Who testified in the absolute nullity case? CHP members. Look, when this issue first came to the agenda, who brought it up? Opposition parties... Not a single administrator said that there was no irregularity in the party congress. Who said that? I did.
“YOU ARE BOTH THE PARTY'S GROUP CHAIRPERSON AND YOU WILL SAY 'I AM WORKING TO ESTABLISH A SEPARATE PARTY'”
Previously, friends came to me, three friends came. Before the decision, Mansur Bey, Vahap Bey, and Engin Özkoç came. I said, if a trustee is appointed, I will not accept it, but if there is nullity, I will accept it. There are two separate cases. There is a criminal case regarding those who distributed the money.
The CHP is not splitting. Who took down Erdoğan's banner? I did not take it down when Mr. Gül came. They took it down when Erdoğan came. CHP members would not stand up when Erdoğan came to Parliament. Who said 'we will negotiate'? What is correct about normalization? Right after becoming the first party in the elections, you should have demanded elections. You should have immediately demanded elections! I am saying this to the party leaders. They were saying backdoor diplomacy continues.
'We will establish a separate party' why? You are both inside the party, you are the party's group chairperson, and you will say 'I am working to establish a separate party.' This cannot happen. We talk, we did not fight, we did not come to blows.
“NO ONE HAS THE LUXURY OF LEAVING THE PARTY”
We last spoke a month and a half ago. Özel does not need to leave the party. But there cannot be a parallel structure within the party. The current situation is a parallel structure. Where would there be a parallel structure? I am not saying anything about this for now. We do not accept a view that confines Turkey to a narrow space. No one has the luxury of leaving the party. We must fight against those who brought the country to this state; what will you say if you leave the party? If you are going to say what I say, why are you leaving? If you are going to join the AKP, I cannot say anything about that. We expelled 9 MPs because their names were mentioned in the absolute nullity case.