CHP leader picks new brass after convention

ANKARA

Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, the chair of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), has picked a new party brass following the general convention amid reports that Muharrem İnce, a dissident party heavyweight is planning to split from the CHP and launch his own party.

A 16-member Central Executive Board (MYK) was announced by the CHP early on Aug. 10 after the new 60-member Party Assembly held its first meeting in Ankara over the weekend. Around half of the MYK members were able to maintain their seats, while Kılıçdaroğlu replaced the rest of the party’s top officials. One of the new figures of the MYK, Selin Sayek Böke, will work as the secretary-general of the CHP.

Faik Öztrak will continue to serve as the party spokesman and will be responsible for the economy. Fethi Açıkel will continue to be responsible for the science and culture platform, Onursal Adıgüzel for informatics and communication technologies and Veli Ağbaba for trade unions in the new MYK. Muharrem Erkek will also continue to serve at the MYK, responsible for elections and the rule of law, while Gamze Akkuş İlgezdi will deal with the CHP’s public relations. Lale Karabıyık will be responsible for education, Gülizar Biçer Karaca for human rights, Bülent Kuşoğlu for administrative and financial issues, and Oğuz Kaan Salıcı for the party organization. Seyit Torun will continue to be in charge of local governments.

Ahmet Akın will start his MYK mandate as being responsible for energy and infrastructure, Gökçe Gökçen for youth policies, Ali Öztunç for the environment, and Yüksel Taşkın for social policies.

Kılıçdaroğlu did not appoint any CHP official to deal with the foreign policy as the MYK former deputy leader Ünal Çeviköz failed to enter the Party Assembly. Çeviköz will continue his job as the chief advisor to the chair in the coming period.

[HH] İnce to announce road map this week

In the meantime, former CHP chairmen Hikmet Çetin and Murat Karayalçın have approached Kılıçdaroğlu to discuss İnce’s plans to form his party. İnce has implied he might leave the CHP and start his movement as a result of a long-standing row with Kılıçdaroğlu.

In an interview with private broadcaster CNN Türk, İnce said he will announce his decision in the coming days. The CHP headquarters will not make any comment before İnce outlines his road map.