CHP's Özel calls for renewed alliances in local polls

ISTANBUL

Republican People's Party (CHP) leadership candidate Özgür Özel has emphasized the urgent need for his party to form alliances in the upcoming local elections scheduled for March.

Özel, the main opposition party's parliamentary head, voiced his concerns about the dissolution of the CHP-led Nation Alliance after failing to secure a majority in the parliamentary elections earlier this year.

"What happened after May 14 and 28 [elections] caused our party to lose its alliance potential. We will revitalize the social alliance; we are coming with a new mentality that will carry it into the political alliance," Özel said in an interview with daily Hürriyet on Oct. 14.

Özel criticized the former alliance structure, arguing that it alienated parties from their core identities. "We need to run freely, make an alliance when the time comes and hold hands when the finish is near," he said.

The CHP's former ally, the İYİ Party, has already announced its decision to enter the upcoming mayoral elections independently, a move Özel referred to as "harakiri," emphasizing the necessity of forming strategic alliances.

A notable aspect of Özel's vision for the party involves changes within its leadership and decision-making processes. He criticized current party leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu for making critical decisions "without consulting the elected bodies of the party, relying instead on appointed consultants."

Özel aims to introduce a staff overhaul, emphasizing the inclusion of more women in policy-making roles.

When asked about economic policies, Özel stressed a commitment to social democracy. "We will create conditions that protect the rights of labor, where wealth can be distributed as equally as possible," he declared.

Furthermore, Özel expressed his dedication to grassroots politics, asserting that the party's presence would extend beyond the parliamentary corridors. "We will stand by everyone who seeks their rights without fear in the streets and squares," he affirmed.

Özel also touched upon the recent election of the party's new Istanbul administration, which saw the party's former Bahçelievler district head Özgür Çelik emerging victorious over his opponent, Cemal Canpolat.

Local reports say Çelik garners support from a faction aligned with Özel, whereas Canpolat was seen as the candidate of the current party administration.

Özel hinted that this shift "could also be reflected in the upcoming party congress" scheduled for Nov. 4-5, where the new chairman of the CHP will be elected. Kılıçdaroğlu has not yet announced his candidacy for the top position.