CHP leader sees opportunity in mayors' performance

ANKARA

Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Özgür Özel has expressed optimism about his party's future, attributing it to the performance of its victorious mayors in the most recent local elections.

Özel urged the mayors to adopt social municipalism, focusing on delivering public services to all segments of society without discrimination and developing policies that support disadvantaged groups.

"I tell my 409 mayors in Türkiye that this key is not the key to their cities or districts. This key is not the key to the door or safe of their municipalities," Özel said at an event in Ankara on May 30.

"This key is the key to making the party win power in the first general election of the [Turkish] republic's second century."

Özel's remarks follow notable gains by the CHP in the March 31 polls, where it secured around 37 percent of the votes, surpassing the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), which received approximately 35 percent. This marked the first time the CHP outperformed the AKP, achieving the highest number of votes.

The CHP's success was widespread, with victories in 35 of the country's 81 provinces, including 14 metropolises. The main opposition party notably won in traditional AKP strongholds, such as Bursa, Balıkesir, Manisa, Denizli, Uşak, Kütahya, Kırıkkale and Afyonkarahisar provinces.

"[In the elections] the power in Türkiye was balanced with the foresight of the voters," said Özel.

The CHP leader announced that the continuation of the victorious mayors' service will be determined by a citizen satisfaction survey, conducted every three months, six months or annually, depending on the size of the constituency.

"Those who are moving up the chart, those who are ahead compared to the day they were elected, those who pull their party up from their hands rather than down their legs, those who are transparent and fair and those whose actions are welcomed by the public will undoubtedly continue their duties," he stated.