New CHP leader pursues alliance talks with İYİ Party

ANKARA

The newly elected leader of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), Özgür Özel, has signaled his intention to rekindle ties with the party's former Nation Alliance partner, the İYİ (Good) Party.

Özel announced his willingness to explore potential alliances with various political parties, emphasizing the CHP's open-door policy and readiness to collaborate on principled and mutually beneficial grounds.

"We will also meet with Ms. Meral [Akşener, leader of İYİ Party]. We will meet with all political parties. Our doors are open, our palms are open, we are ready to shake hands," Özel told a group of journalists on Nov. 7.

The İYİ Party has recently declared its decision to participate independently in the upcoming mayoral elections, raising questions about the future of their partnership. This move marked a departure from the 2019 local elections when the İYİ Party supported candidates from the CHP in key battlegrounds such as Ankara, Istanbul and İzmir.

The İYİ Party has nominated economist Ümit Özlale as its candidate for the western province of İzmir, Türkiye's third-largest city.

Özel's ascension to the CHP leadership also raises the possibility of a reevaluation of the alliance by Akşener, who had criticized the CHP's former leader, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, extensively.

"We will stay away from attitudes that will benefit the [ruling Justice and Development Party] AKP," Özel remarked.

Özel also responded to congratulations from Akşener on X, formerly known as Twitter.

"I will fight with all my strength to grow the social opposition together, with the awareness of the responsibility I have taken in such a period when our democracy has been greatly damaged, and justice is on the verge of decay," he wrote in response to Akşener's congratulatory message.

Following his election, Özel received his certificate from the election board and officially took over from Kılıçdaroğlu at a ceremony held at the party headquarters. Özel is set to lead the CHP during the ceremonies of modern Türkiye founder Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's death anniversary at his mausoleum Anıtkabir on Nov. 10 and will convene the newly elected party assembly the following day.

Additionally, Özel plans to meet with the newly appointed central executive board, known as the "A team," on Nov. 13. As part of his early engagements, Özel has visited his hometown, Manisa, and plans to visit earthquake-affected areas, including Hatay and Osmaniye. He also conveyed his intention to visit the Kılıçdaroğlu family, accompanied by his wife.