CHP schedules 'labor' rally at end of month

ANKARA

The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) has announced plans to hold a rally on June 30 to bring together workers to voice their demands in the face of economic challenges.

The decision came during a central executive board meeting held on June 3, chaired by party leader Özgür Özel.

This event will continue the party's series of thematic rallies, following previous gatherings with unassigned teachers, retirees and tea producers. The "labor rally" is set to take place in either Kocaeli or Bursa, local media reported.

The upcoming rally aims to bring together minimum-wage earners, workers with incomes below this figure and white-collar employees. Media reports said it will be held under the slogan "We can't make ends meet," reflecting the financial hardships.

In addition to the rally, the CHP meeting also addressed President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's planned visit to the party headquarters.

This follows a visit by Özel to Erdoğan on May 2, marking the first encounter between the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and CHP leaders since 2016.

Erdoğan has previously said he will visit the CHP headquarters before Eid al-Adha, which begins on June 16, suggesting a potential meeting next week.

Furthermore, Özel is expected to meet with the heads of the Constitutional Court, the Court of Appeals and the Council of State later this week.

The rallies follow notable gains by the CHP in the March 31 polls, where it secured around 37 percent of the votes, surpassing the AKP, which received approximately 35 percent. This marked the first time the CHP outperformed the AKP, achieving the highest number of votes.