İmamoğlu hints at collaborations with former opposition leaders

ISTANBUL

Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, a prominent figure in the opposition's call for change after a recent election defeat, has suggested potential collaborations with former opposition leaders during a meeting held to discuss the future of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP).

"We talked about the current issues and the future of our party. I benefited a lot. I can say that it will make great contributions to the decisions we will take in the coming days and times or the journey we will draw," İmamoğlu told reporters after a groundbreaking ceremony in Istanbul on Aug. 2.

The mayor emphasized that he considers every valuable idea when shaping his agenda.

For İmamoğlu, the need for change "goes beyond mere office positions," and he believes they must think holistically about the country and their party.

İmamoğlu's calls for change have been recently echoed by Özgür Özel, the parliamentary head of the CHP. Özel stressed the importance of acknowledging the public's reaction and urged swift reforms within the party.

"Those who don't recognize the election results as a defeat were out of touch with the sentiments of the party's base and organization," Özel said in an interview with daily Cumhuriyet on July 31. His statements appeared to indirectly respond to CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu's reluctance to accept the election defeat and dismiss change calls.

Istanbul mayor is expected to draft a change manifesto, which he plans to unveil on Aug. 10, according to journalist Barış Yarkadaş, who also claimed that Önder Sav, the former secretary-general of the CHP, could soon join the ranks of the intra-party opposition group.

In a recent statement last week, Sav expressed concern over the CHP's lack of progress in the past decade. "Mr. Kılıçdaroğlu should resign without equivocating," Sav said in a televised interview with private broadcaster HaberTürk last week.