FM slams Özel's remarks against Erdoğan

ANKARA

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and several government officials have strongly condemned main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Özgür Özel for referring to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as a "junta chairman."

“Know your place!” Fidan took to X to voice his displeasure on April 6.

During a speech at an extraordinary CHP convention earlier in the day, Özel accused Erdoğan of orchestrating a political "putsch" aimed at weakening democratic forces in Türkiye. He also claimed that the president had waged a campaign targeting the CHP and its mayors.

“Our president has served Türkiye for years with the support he has received from our nation and fought against all kinds of tutelage,” Fidan responded.

"Özgür Özel is the one who seeks legitimacy outside the ballot box and tries to design politics on the streets."

Özel's comments came as part of his reelection as the CHP chairman, which saw him secure 1,171 delegate votes. The extraordinary convention held in Ankara also saw the selection of members for key party positions.

The meeting was convened amid concerns that a court-appointed trustee might be imposed on the party following allegations of irregularities during its 2023 convention.

Meanwhile, Erdoğan's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) officials sharply criticized Özel’s remarks.

AKP spokesperson Ömer Çelik countered by likening the CHP itself to a junta, while party deputy leader Hayati Yazıcı called the statement “impudent.”

Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç also weighed in, pointing to Erdoğan’s electoral victories as evidence of his legitimacy.

"We return [his words] to him. [Erdoğan] is the person who won consecutive elections and served the longest as prime minister and the first leader to be elected with over 50 percent of the votes,” Tunç said.