CHP mayor candidate's DEM Party remarks spark internal debate
AFYONKARAHISAR
Burcu Köksal, the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) mayoral candidate for Afyonkarahisar province, has stirred controversy with her remarks about the Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) during a pre-election rally.
"When I am elected, the doors of Afyonkarahisar Municipality will be open to every political party except DEM Party," Köksal said during a rally held on March 6 in the city in anticipation of the upcoming elections slated for March 31. Her remarks have prompted reactions from both supporters and critics.
CHP leader Özgür Özel addressed the controversy at a rally in Uşak later in the day, describing Köksal's remarks as a "slip of the tongue." Özel said the municipalities' doors would remain open to all political parties without discrimination.
In response to the criticisms, Köksal defended her position, asserting that there was no slip of the tongue in her speech.
"If I get elected as the mayor, I will not govern Afyonkarahisar Municipality with DEM Party members... I stand by this promise," she declared in a statement to private broadcaster TV100.
Köksal further insisted that while she would serve all citizens without discrimination, DEM Party members would not be allowed to hold office in her municipality.
The pro-Kurdish DEM Party, which refrained from running candidates in many regions during the 2019 elections, played a crucial role in supporting the CHP's victories. However, this time, it has fielded candidates in key battlegrounds, including Istanbul and Ankara.
