The certificates of election were going to be thrown at the Palace

Turkey is going through a period in which it is increasingly distancing itself from the principle of the rule of law, democratic norms are weakening, and the belief in judicial independence has almost completely disappeared.

Every new day, we wake up to news of politically motivated operations and punitive actions targeting individuals or institutions. The regime's stance affects not only the opposition but also broad segments of society. With each passing day, it further damages trust in the law.

We are witnessing a process where universal concepts such as rights, law, and justice are being replaced by a destructive and oppressive approach that prioritizes the political interests of the ruling power.

The state's fundamental institutions, from the judiciary to security forces, are operating in every field under the shadow of the political power.

All these developments not only raise the tension in Turkish politics but also erode the public's hopes for democracy.

According to information I obtained from sources close to the Republican People's Party (CHP), significant reactions have developed within the party's own internal mechanisms against this extraordinary atmosphere of pressure.

In particular, the successive detentions in recent months and the imprisonment of CHP mayors against whom not even an indictment has been prepared seem to have become a tool of pressure that effectively paralyzes the party's approach to municipal governance. As is known, the ruling power had become so reckless that it even placed blocks on the accounts of opposition municipalities before starting the operations.

Last month, in addition to Chairman Özgür Özel, Ataşehir Mayor Onursal Adıgüzel also attended an online meeting held by CHP district mayors.

Taking the floor at the meeting, Adıgüzel stated that municipal governance could not be carried out healthily under these conditions, noting that the ruling power was systematically making local governments unable to function, and evaluated what was happening not just as administrative pressure, but as direct political interference.

The proposal put forward by Adıgüzel is quite remarkable... That all CHP mayors should take their certificates of election, go to Ankara, and throw these certificates on the ground in front of the Presidential Palace as a protest action...

Adıgüzel's proposal could be considered a form of resistance with high impact that could create a great echo in public opinion. However, CHP Chairman Özgür Özel, in his assessment during the meeting, stated that this proposal was not well-timed and that the party has an obligation to represent the will it received from the people to the end and to continue the struggle.

Özel called on the mayors to continue their duties and serve the public under all circumstances.

Following Özel's approach, Adıgüzel's proposal for action was shelved.

In a landscape where pressure extends not only to political leaders but from local governments to civil society, every search for an alternative reaction arises as a natural consequence.

At the point we have reached, the municipalities held by the CHP are not just areas of local service, but have also become the main fronts of the struggle for democracy.

For this reason, despite all kinds of political pressure, maintaining their existence, staying in direct contact with the public, and continuing public service are considered an important line of resistance against the institutional siege of the ruling power.

Undoubtedly, both the political atmosphere and the opposition's action strategies may harden further in the coming period. Above all, it is necessary to protect the democratic will of the people and keep the institutions that represent it standing. The certificates of election may not have been thrown on the ground, but the pressures experienced continue to be a clear indicator of the dark picture that has permeated the political scene.