27.07.2026 22:30
New Party Chairman Özgür Özel argued during a live broadcast that his party will grow with new members. Speaking about whether Adana Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Zeydan Karalar would join the party, Özel stated that Karalar is in a "special situation" due to his ongoing legal process and claimed that pressure is being exerted on him to change parties.
Özgür Özel, the Chairman of the New Party, attending a live broadcast program for the first time with his party's badge, made assessments regarding the current agenda.
Stating that party memberships would continue, Özel said, "As of tomorrow, over 200 municipalities will express their will to join the New Party."
WILL ZEYDAN KARALAR JOIN THE NEW PARTY?
Özel also responded to questions about whether Zeydan Karalar, the dismissed Mayor of Adana Metropolitan Municipality, would join the New Party.
Noting that there is an ongoing trial process against Karalar within the scope of the Aziz İhsan Aktaş case, Özel stated that he has received reports of pressure being put on Karalar, saying, "If you switch to the New Party, it won't be good for you."
Özel said, "Zeydan Karalar's situation is special. Chairman Zeydan called me again yesterday. We have a brotherly relationship. Chairman Zeydan has multifaceted, different, and multi-layered situations."
"THERE ARE NEWS REPORTS SENT FROM MANY DIFFERENT MOUTHS BY THE BUTLAN ADMINISTRATION"
Özel, indicating that the case against Karalar is at the decision stage, spoke as follows: "For instance, the case in which Chairman Zeydan is being tried is in the decision process. On one hand, there is an opposition media and AKP judicial branches trying to spread fear among many of our municipalities, saying, 'Sir, if you switch to the new party, this will happen.' There are news items sent from many different mouths, front, back, right, left, by the Butlan administration."