L’opposizione turca Özgür Özel ha annunciato il nuovo partito!

P.S. It is a long read and can be confusing who isn’t really knowledgable in their Turkish politics. Just a heads up.

The elected Chairman of the CHP, Özgür Özel, spoke at the CHP Group podium for the last time. As expected, Özel announced the establishment of the new party during his speech.

While arriving at the meeting hall, Özel sent a clear message, stating, “Every end is a beginning.”

Before Özel’s speech, great enthusiasm dominated the hall, and slogans of *”Free president, free future”* (a play on his name ‘Özgür’, which means free) were chanted. Özel’s speech was frequently interrupted by applause and slogans of ‘power’ (*iktidar*).

Announcing the establishment of the new party, Özel stated, “Today we are coming together with our elected provincial chairs, tomorrow with our elected party assembly and Central Executive Board (MYK), and then with our Members of Parliament. We are establishing the new party by taking the first step with our MPs. Have no doubt that after the technical procedures are completed, we will become the main opposition party of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey by a wide margin with our newly established party alongside our MPs.”

**Here are the highlights from Özgür Özel’s final speech at the CHP Group podium:**

We have our mayors and council members from all four corners of Turkey. Since the day they were elected, since the morning after we were elected, this is a party that set differences aside, walked arm-in-arm, turned its face toward the nation together, and never turned its back on one another.

Each one of them is a precious child of this party, coming from the deepest roots of the struggle. 74 of my elected provincial chairs are here. Welcome. Today, there are very different, very important expectations from this podium. We will talk about that.

# REACTION TO NATO ARRESTS

However, there are also things we must not forget. As the NATO meeting approached, hundreds of detentions took place. The meeting came and went, and saying “let them go now that the meeting is over” is not our place. It would only lighten the shame of these preventive arrests made prior to the meeting.

However, for 29 days, over a hundred of our friends, companions, and brothers and sisters—including TEMA volunteers, members of the Association for the Support of Contemporary Living (ÇYDD), Halkevleri members, members of SES and various unions, lawyers, progressive lawyers, and journalists—have been unjustly imprisoned. From here, we declare our most vehement objections to this injustice and lawlessness. We convey our feelings of solidarity to them.

# ‘I STAND BEFORE YOU CARRYING THE SORROW OF A FAREWELL’

My esteemed friends, distinguished guests, today I stepped up to this podium with feelings different from ever before, perhaps carrying the sorrow of a farewell whose time has come, and I stand before you.

Together, we are all at a historical crossroads. Today, this is not just a historical speech, nor is it a highly unusual one. Today, this is a sincere speech that takes note of history, reminds us, and leaves behind sentences entrusted to history.

I came here to speak openly. I am entrusting the truly historical speech to history, to be delivered all together on the evening of the first upcoming election.

My esteemed friends, my companions on this road. None of us has any doubt that what we have all experienced together since November 2023 holds a very important place in our political history and will not be forgotten. Even as years pass, even after we pass away from this world, we all see that the pages of history will write every political success, every unlawful attack, every sorrow, and every joy. Some of our stances today, some plots, and some honorable stands will be left as a legacy to our children and grandchildren.

Already, from the atmosphere of this hall today, from the dialogues we established with everyone we met on the streets when we felt suffocated after the great injustices we suffered, from the evening conversations of families in all provinces, districts, and neighborhoods—everything shows that something is happening in this country, something has changed, something is being rebuilt, and a nation is setting a new course for itself. We are here today aware of this. We are all eye to eye, heart to heart. I promise you.

# ‘WE WILL NEVER BE FORGETFUL’

When everything is over, we will never be forgetful. Everything will end, but we will remember together. People might think that what we stood for, what we did up until today will just pass, be forgotten, and end. Will years pass over this too? Let no one think these things will be forgotten, that those who do wrong will get away with it, or that the wind and flood will sweep away the responsibilities of certain individuals and structures today. I promise, we will remember the oppressor as the oppressor, the oppressed as the oppressed. The one who cowers and runs as a coward, the one who takes responsibility as a hero. By not forgetting who was a friend, who wasn’t, and their stances during these days, we will remember. And the nation will remember, too.

There is a system imposing unchanging actors on the nation. Our first realizations and objections against this system might have a few different dates. But those in this hall, those who amplified this objection, those who threw a spanner in the works of this system, are the ones who couldn’t digest the election defeats of May 14 and May 28, and who couldn’t accept any excuse for failing to prevent those who have a problem with the Republic from continuing to rule it in its 100th year.

# HARSH WORDS FOR KILIÇDAROĞLU

Those who never saw or heard these things, who said “there really isn’t a reaction, it will pass in 3-5 days,” or who, instead of going on television and saying, “I will not be a presidential candidate again. I will not be a chairman candidate again. I will pave the way for a democratic race. I will be the guarantor of renewal, change, and a new opposition vision for Turkey,” said, “I was not a candidate. I never was. If they nominate me, I’ll be one, I’ll think about it when the day comes.” Because of those who say, “I will get through one local election, I’ll look at the aftermath, but then I’ll look at whatever the friends say,” this nation will not go to another local election with us. If we act like this, this nation will never turn its face to us again. It will be the lowest turnout rate in history.

# ‘WHAT MATTERS IS CLEARING THE PATH FOR THE PARTY’

I considered everyone who arrived at the right place alongside the nation and the organization just as valuable as those we were with when we first set out on this path. I continue to see them as precious. It’s not about being the first to decide.

I see that turning back from an initial mistake is just as great a virtue. What matters is sincerity. What matters is standing in the right place. What matters is, instead of selfishness or wanting something for yourself, sacrificing yourself if necessary to clear the path for the country and the party.

Is this a split off from the CHP?

Will this split the vote for the opposition?

If yes, would that be a problem or would the parties just form a coalition?

creating new party does not mean shit if they are still employ all the people (cronyism) from previous party. new party should mean new blood in politics