25.10.2026 13:20
New Party General Chairman Özgür Özel responded from Manisa to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's question at the AK Party Group Meeting: "What's going on, gentlemen, who are you fighting with?" Speaking at his party's Manisa Provincial Congress, Özel said, "We are fighting not to cause pain, but to save our lives and not to hand over the nation." Özel used the expressions, "We have risked death, we have not surrendered, and we will not."
The "war" debate between President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and New Party Chairman Özel continues. Özel responded to the question Erdoğan directed at him.
ERDOĞAN: WHAT'S THIS, GENTLEMEN, WHO ARE YOU AT WAR WITH?
President Erdoğan, at the AK Party Group Meeting held in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey on October 21, reacted to Özel's earlier words, "I am at war, I am in a great struggle. We have also risked death." Without mentioning Özel's name, Erdoğan said the following:
"The other day one of them came out and mindlessly says 'we are at war.' What's this, gentlemen, who are you at war with? Which enemy have you declared war on? Has a mobilization been declared and we are unaware? Was Turkey occupied and we didn't hear about it? Since Turkey has not been occupied and no mobilization has been declared, where did this war come from?"
Erdoğan also asked, "Are you aware of what you are saying and where your words are heading? When will you stop turning this nation into enemies?"
ÖZEL: WE ARE AT WAR AGAINST INJUSTICE
Speaking at the New Party's Manisa Provincial Congress, Özel gave the following answer to President Erdoğan's question:
"We are at war against injustice, we are at war against this lawlessness. We are at war for the dignity of innocent people. We are at war not to inflict pain but to save ourselves, not to surrender the nation. We have risked death, we have not surrendered, and we will not, brother."
Claiming that his party was facing a "civil coup," Özel linked these words to the process of canceling the congresses in the CHP and removing the administration from office. Özel claimed that the government turned a blind eye to public resources being taken by those in power and that this was done to "protect one person's seat."
"HE DID NOT SHAKE MY HAND AT ANITKABİR"
Also touching on Erdoğan's words that he was not in favor of polarization and tension, Özel said that when they emerged from the election as the first party, he called Erdoğan and asked for the tension to end. Claiming that Erdoğan did not shake his hand at Anıtkabir, Özel said, "We will not inflict pain, we will not be vengeful, but we will not surrender to evil either."