Özgür Özel’s new party: The March Party

It is now clear that Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu will not be heading to a party congress anytime soon.

Although Kılıçdaroğlu decided with the Central Executive Board (MYK) he convened that the ordinary congress process would begin in September, this is not a decision to hold a congress. This is a decision limited only to the election of neighborhood, district, and provincial presidencies.

Because Kılıçdaroğlu said, “Neighborhood delegate elections will begin in September,” but he did not announce a congress calendar. For the announcement that “the process will begin” does not mean that “the congress will be held.” A congress requires a calendar.

As such, Özgür Özel took action by moving the issue forward and brought his new party move to the end of July.

It is also clear that Özgür Özel’s close team will be expelled from the party. For this reason, a new party is now inevitable.

Ekrem İmamoğlu had also stated, "We will never leave this nation hopeless and without options. We will either find a way or make a way."

This way means a new party.

Is it easy for Özgür Özel to establish a new party? Of course, it is very difficult. This is a matter of time. Therefore, he will reach an agreement with a party that has the authority to enter elections. That is the “Anatolia Union Party (ABP),” whose chairman is Bedri Yalçın.

Bedri Yalçın, Chairman of the Anatolia Union Party (ABP), confirmed this by stating that they are conducting negotiations with CHP Chairman Özgür Özel and his team. The ABP is a party close to Mansur Yavaş. A poster of Mansur Yavaş has been hanging in its headquarters for 3 years.

The name of the new party will not be this; it will change.

Özgür Özel will first join the Anatolia Union Party with 30-40 deputies, then the party’s name will be changed through a charter amendment to become the “March Party” (Yürüyüş Partisi). A parliamentary group will be formed.

It will participate in the ‘Alliance’ in the presidential election.

In other words, Özgür Özel’s new party: The March Party

The goal is to march to power.

So why 30-40 deputies?

First of all, let me say that Bedri Yalçın claimed that 86 deputies would join the ABP as a result of the negotiations, but time will decide this figure. Because if the March Party is to be the main opposition party, then yes, there will be a transition of around 80-90 deputies to the new party. But if it is decided that the main opposition should remain in the CHP, then the majority of the deputies will remain in the CHP. These deputies will continue the struggle within the party.

Of course, Özgür Özel will decide this.

So what should Özgür Özel do in this process? How should he act?

Recently, Presidential Chief Advisor Mehmet Uçum made a statement: He said, ‘Not an early election, but an election handled on schedule.’ And he spoke of 2028. Politicians say one thing today, and who knows what they will say tomorrow, but considering the economic difficulties we are in, an early election seems difficult.

Erdoğan can go to an early election before the normal election by resigning, with the signatures of approximately 355 deputies.

But that is also risky.

I do not think Erdoğan will forget the vote he lost by 3 votes in the March 1st Memorandum, which he saw as guaranteed in 2003.

Therefore, I think he will wait for the appropriate conditions to mature.

For this reason, Özgür Özel has a long time ahead of him. Özgür Özel should move to the March Party with a number sufficient for a group in Parliament, but he should not allow members to transition to the new party. In his own words, he should not empty the “father’s hearth.” There are already neighborhood delegate elections starting in September; he should not lose the superiority of provincial, district, and congress delegates after these elections.

So that he can return to the father’s hearth in the next Congress.

Because if the CHP ends, Turkey ends.

If you ask how he will fight, I think there is no single front from now on. Özgür Özel will fight on two fronts. On one hand, he will fight to maintain organizational power in the father’s hearth, and on the other hand, he will fight to march to power with the March Party. And he will need to win on both sides.

He has no other choice.

Is there an example of this? Of course there is. Atatürk fought by taking the people behind him in Anatolia and marched to İzmir, and he also fought against the government in Istanbul and toppled Prime Minister Damat Ferit Pasha from power. It is as a result of this that the Istanbul Government came to Mustafa Kemal Pasha’s feet in Amasya for the Amasya negotiations, and also came to Bilecik. Remember; the Bilecik interview. The Amasya negotiations.

Furthermore, will Özgür Özel win the struggle he is waging on these two fronts? I think he will. Because he has taken a significant portion of the public behind him. The rate of those supporting him within the party is around 85% - 90%.

Özgür Özel has certainly experienced many difficulties and hardships in a short time. He did not see a comfortable seat. He lost his loved ones. He cried at the coffin, got soaked in the rain, was kicked out of the father’s hearth. He faced water cannons. But he did not give up, he endured, he resisted, he fought. He has covered a lot of distance on the path to leadership.

He did not break away from the democratic process either.

Up to this point, it was certainly very difficult for him. But from now on, it will also be very difficult because Özgür Özel will be fighting in two parties. It will be much more painful from now on.

But there is this; you do not become a leader by saying “I will be a leader.” History gives birth to leaders.

Perhaps Özgür Özel’s pains are what history has given birth to.