Main opposition ousts longtime leader, elects Özgür Özel

ANKARA

Türkiye's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) has voted to replace its longtime leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu with veteran lawmaker Özgür Özel.

The vote comes after Kılıçdaroğlu's loss against incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in the presidential election earlier this year.

In a party congress held in the capital Ankara on Nov. 4, the first round of the vote for party chair was inconclusive, with neither Kılıçdaroğlu nor Özel, the favourites in the race, garnering a majority of votes among the more than 1,300 party delegates who participated in the poll.

Özel, a 49-year-old former pharmacist, emerged as the winner in the second round of voting, which stretched into the early hours of Nov. 5.

Following his victory, Özel pledged to revamp the party's strategy and management approach ahead of the local elections scheduled for March next year.

“I have been proposing a bold and determined policy against the embarrassing and passive politics pursued by our party for a while,” Özel said, addressing the delegates during the CHP party congress.

Kılıçdaroğlu, who had led the party since 2010, faced criticism following his loss in the May elections.

Some party figures expressed frustration, stating that Kılıçdaroğlu made too many concessions to smaller political groups within the six-party opposition alliance.

Additionally, there were complaints that he concentrated party management within a small group of senior officials and consultants, neglecting input from a broader range of stakeholders.

Özel, previously seen as an ally of Kılıçdaroğlu, now advocates for comprehensive reforms within the party, emphasizing a more inclusive approach to decision-making.

"This is the greatest honour of my life," he said after the results were announced, while thanking Kılıçdaroğlu for his work at the party. "We are embarking on the road for local election victory," he added.

"We have believed in turning hopelessness into hope, we are hopeful," Özel said, surrounded by applauding party members and standing alongside Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu.