CHP set to hold leadership congress in early November

ANKARA

Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) has officially scheduled its 38th ordinary congress for Nov. 4-5, where the party chairman will be elected.

The decision was reached during the party assembly meeting held on Sept. 26, when the proposed dates from the party's central executive board were approved.

Meanwhile, the ongoing provincial congresses, aimed at determining new provincial administrations and selecting delegates for the upcoming ordinary congress, will continue until Oct. 15.

During the ordinary congress, a total of 1,370 congress delegates, representing various provinces across Türkiye, will cast their votes to elect the party's administration. This includes delegates, party council members, high disciplinary board members and deputies.

Ankara, Istanbul and İzmir will be pivotal due to their significant number of delegates in the presidential election. Ankara, with 72 delegates, and İzmir, with 56 delegates, have already elected their provincial presidents. Meanwhile, Istanbul, boasting the largest number of delegates at 196, is slated to hold its provincial congress on Oct. 8.

The contest for the leadership gained momentum when Özgür Özel, the CHP's parliamentary leader, announced his candidacy for the top position on Sept. 15. Özel's campaign emphasizes the need for change in the social democrats’ policies and mentality following the defeat in the May polls.

Özel will race against Kılıçdaroğlu in the upcoming party convention should the latter decide to run for another term.

Kılıçdaroğlu has faced criticism following his loss in the presidential election against President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in May, as the CHP-led opposition alliance also fell short of securing a parliamentary majority.

Additionally, Örsan Kunter Öymen, a former member of the CHP party assembly, has also announced his candidacy for the leadership.