Strong opposition also a problem within the CHP

With Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu’s votes at around 38.4 percent in the presidential election, opposition groups within the Republican People’s Party (CHP) have started voicing their criticisms and calling for a party congress. Additionally, for the first time in four years, the resignation of Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu has been demanded.

It is obvious that this debate will continue, so for this reason it’s wise to leave a general assessment of the CHP in the recent election to a later date and focus on the more current topic of where this domestic opposition in the party will lead.

At this stage, the opposition does not look like a mass one or a large group. It is either made up of small groups or individuals, or it remains in outside lanes such as Metin Feyzioğlu.

However, a stronger partnership could be formed, one which is more than the demand for an early congress.

Weaknesses of the opposition

For the moment, even if this partnership is formed, it is difficult for the opposition to obtain a result because there are significant difficulties. They have to be able see them.

It is correct that in politics 2+2 does not always equal 4, but didn’t the CHP demonstrate in the March 30 local elections that it was able to overcome difficulties with Ankara mayoral candidate Mansur Yavaş? Also, those who are criticizing today also slammed the candidacy of Yavaş from day one.

It should be known that a serious opinion has been formed in the grassroots of CHP that these criticisms were effective in losing that election in Ankara by a slight margin and that the same names did not provide an adequate contribution in the last election campaign.

It should not be unexpected that choices will be criticized in a party like the CHP. However, the opposition carrying its criticisms outside authorized bodies and maintaining them for an excessively long time - and the fact that they did not participate in election campaigns even though the party assigned them - has only made the hand of the CHP administration stronger.

Other cards that the party administration holds are that, from day one, the domestic opposition has used the adjective “political Islam” for İhsanoğlu, even though he was not representing this. This opposition has also used the comparison of “the genuine one and its copy,” made assessments denigrating his personality and reputation, and also attributed some information and words to İhsanoğlu that did not belong to him.

It is believed that all these negatively motivated the CHP’s grassroots. 

Congress will not be a surprise

The CHP administration believes that its own voters voted for İhsanoğlu to a major extent and regards this as an approval of their choice. This is the basis of the words of Kılıçdaroğlu when he said, “I would pick the same candidate if the elections were held today.”

The CHP administration has been reviewing the election performance of these domestic opposition names and their election performance lists could be made available to the grassroots of the CHP. 
 
Disciplinary action may be launched in the CHP on the grounds that their stance and words were influential in the election loss, but there is also a possibility to wait for the stage where the opposition will reach.

When that stage is seen and when the possibility of an early election ceases, then the date of the congress can be decided, as this will give Kılıçdaroğlu the opportunity to start preparing for 2015 elections with a female and youth-dominated team.

At the end of the day, for a strong opposition to be present within the CHP that will adopt correct stances and will not cause disintegration will be a win for both competition and democracy.