15.05.2026 14:40
Özgür Özel called for early elections during his speech at the opening of the Bayraklı Municipality Ferdi Zeyrek Sports Complex and the launch of a new vehicle fleet in Izmir. Özel said, 'If anyone is confident, let them put the ballot box in front of us and face us. Come before this nation, set up the early election ballot box either at the end of June or the beginning of September. If I lose an election, I won't stay for a single minute more.'
CHP Chairman Özgür Özel, as part of his program in Izmir, first attended the opening of the Bayraklı Municipality Ferdi Zeyrek Sports Complex and the introduction of the new vehicle fleet.
Also attending the opening were Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Cemil Tugay, CHP Izmir deputies Murat Bakan, Gökçe Gökçen, Deniz Yücel, Seda Kaya Ösen, CHP Provincial Chairman Çağatay Güç, district mayors, and Nurcan Zeyrek, wife of the late Manisa Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ferdi Zeyrek.
"IF I LOSE THE ELECTION, I WON'T STAY A MINUTE LONGER" Addressing the crowd here, Özgür Özel called for an early election and said, "Now, if anyone is confident, let them put the ballot box in front of us and face us. I am saying this to Erdoğan from here. Come, put the early election ballot box before the people, either at the end of June or the beginning of September. If I lose an election, I won't stay a minute longer. I say this with such great confidence."
"AK PARTY SHOWED ITS TRUE FACE TO ALL OF TURKEY" Özgür Özel said, "We are experiencing the process of the government seizing the vocational factory in Izmir and three structures supposedly with a foundation trace in their past. It is a project that sees the people's needs and serves them. Those who came with state police to surround this building and are now trying to empty it are the ones who, during elections, came to Izmir saying 'We love Izmir, we have no problem, give us your vote,' and when they couldn't win the election, they became angry and spiteful towards Izmir. They are the ones trying to obstruct such a public service in Izmir. The sensitivity shown by our Metropolitan Municipality Mayor and our provincial chairman on this issue has shown the true face of the AK Party to all of Turkey."
"İRFAN ÖNAL FULFILLED A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT RESPONSIBILITY TOWARDS FERDİ ZEYREK" Stating that Bayraklı Mayor İrfan Önal fulfilled a completely different responsibility towards Ferdi Zeyrek, Özel said, "Inspired by his responsibility towards sports and young people, he has restored the unusable area to the public. In almost every part of Turkey, children coming here will say, 'I am going to Ferdi Zeyrek.' We keep him alive in the language of children. For this 40,000 square meter area, we thank you for the 1,500 square meter football field, 450 square meter basketball court, volleyball court, 24,000 square meters of green space, the Şenay Aybüke Yalçın Park, and everything done. As a social democratic party, we prioritize nurseries. Nurseries are a very important project that directs women to social and work life and does not confine them to the home. CHP set a target of 1,000 nurseries in 5 years. Our 802nd nursery was opened in Turkey. We set a target of 100 student dormitories in 5 years, and 78 student dormitories have been opened. City restaurants reached 172, public markets 173, and the social assistance provided by all CHP municipalities in Turkey reached 4.6."
ÖZGÜR ÖZEL'S EARLY ELECTION CALL "If anyone is confident, let them put the ballot box in front of us and face us," said Özel, continuing his words as follows:
"They are desperately fleeing the ballot box, fleeing the election. I say to Erdoğan; there are 30 channels in front of you that would broadcast live even if you started muttering in your sleep at night. You've done so much work, come, put the early election ballot box before the people. Let's see whether the people believe you or us. You say 'CHP means trash, pit, corruption'—if the people believe that, they will elect you. You'll get the job for another 5 years and be at ease. If I lose an election, I won't stay a minute longer. I say this with such great confidence."
"APPEALS TO A BROAD AUDIENCE" Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Cemil Tugay said, "This place serves as a common use area for 4 neighborhoods. That is, it appeals to a broad audience. They have created an active center with a FIFA-standard artificial turf field, basketball court, volleyball and tennis courts, and walking and running tracks. Hundreds of trees and plants have been planted. Our Teacher Aybüke, who fell as a martyr in Batman 10 years ago, was also not forgotten. Şenay Aybüke Yalçın Park is being renovated and opened for service. There are 38 new vehicles that our Bayraklı Municipality has added to its service fleet entirely with its own means and resources."
Bayraklı Mayor İrfan Önal also stated that the idle 40,000 square meter area was transformed into the Ferdi Zeyrek Sports Complex and turned into a social living space. Önal also expressed that the service capacity was increased by adding 38 new vehicles to the municipal fleet.