A recent survey has unveiled diverse opinions among voters following the change of leadership in the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP).
According to the survey by the Yöneylem company, 35.9% of respondents viewed the recent shift in CHP leadership positively, while 10.3% expressed a negative sentiment. The study, conducted through the CATI method with 2,400 participants in 27 provinces.
When asked about the impact of the recent CHP congress on their attitudes, 35.9% of voters acknowledged a positive change, while 10.3% admitted to a negative shift in their perceptions.
Who is Özgür Özel, the new leader of Turkey’s main opposition party?
In response to the question, "Do you believe that the Republican People's Party (CHP) will succeed under the leadership of Özgür Özel?" 40% of voters indicated optimism about CHP's success under Özgür Özel, while 48% expressed skepticism.
Breaking down the findings by party affiliation, 82% of CHP supporters expressed confidence in the party's success under Özgür Özel's leadership. Meanwhile, among voters from other parties, 64% of Good (İYİ) Party supporters, 54% of HEDEP supporters, and 49% of TİP supporters believed in CHP's potential success under Özgür Özel.
Change in the CHP leadership
The CHP congress took place on November 4-5 marked the first time in 13 years that its leader, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, faced a serious challenge from within his own ranks.
Özgür Özel, the CHP’s parliamentary head, had announced his candidacy after the party suffered a disappointing defeat in the twin presidential and parliamentary elections held in May. Özel’s campaign emphasized the need for change towards social democraric policies, as well as the importance of strengthening the party’s grassroots and reaching out to new segments of the society.
The congress, which took place on November 4 and 5, 2023, at the Ankara Sports Hall, saw a fierce battle between Kılıçdaroğlu and Özel, who both had significant support from different provinces and party members. The election was presided over by CHP’s İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, a key figure in the party’s reformist movement.
The result of the congress was a surprise for many observers, as Özel managed to defeat Kılıçdaroğlu by a narrow margin of 51 votes, securing 689 votes out of the 1,368 total delegates. Kılıçdaroğlu received 638 votes, while 41 votes were declared invalid. Özel became the 13th chairman of the CHP, the oldest and largest opposition party in Turkey, and vowed to lead the party to victory in the next elections.
He also thanked Kılıçdaroğlu for his service and invited him to join the party assembly as an honorary member. Kılıçdaroğlu, on the other hand, congratulated Özel and expressed his respect for the democratic will of the party members. He also announced that he would continue to serve the party and the nation as a regular MP. (Mİ/VK)
