'We do not want war,' Turkey's main opposition leader says
ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News
AA Photo
The 34th ordinary convention of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) opened today in the Ankara Arena Sports Hall as party leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu was welcomed with applause by thousands of party members.Kılıçdaroğlu vowed more change in his address to his party’s 34th congress today while promising to pursue more social democratic policies.
“Every congress has transformed us a bit more. We took one step more in every congress, and we will take one more at this congress. We will continue to change, transform and renew,” Kılıçdaroğlu said in his congress speech.
During his speech, Kılıçdaroğlu criticized the government’s policies on a number of different issues, including foreign policy. The CHP’s “Democracy and Freedom Manifest” includes criticism of the government’s interference in the judiciary, moves against “individual rights and choices” and “utopian foreign policy.”
The leader also touched upon the transformation within his own party. “We hit the road for a change which is built on the interests of our people, and we are determined to carry on with this road,” Kılıçdaroğlu said, noting that supporters of the status quo were against any change.
“What do we understand by change? Change is the motivation to reach and go beyond the level of contemporary civilization. If you make efforts in this direction, people will benefit from it. For this reason, our aim is to reach and go beyond the level of contemporary civilization, which [modern Turkish founder] Mustafa Kemal Atatürk pointed to,” Kılıçdaroğlu said.
