Declaration…

The pure Turkish equivalent of the word "tebliğ", which has Arabic roots, is "bildiri" (declaration/announcement). Etymologically, it comes from the word "bildirmek" (to inform). It encompasses actions such as conveying, announcing, explaining, or notifying. 

It is frequently used in two fields. It is important and plays an influential role in both the academic and institutional spheres. 

In the academic field, a scientific study is opened to discussion in the world of academia by presenting it orally at a congress or panel, as a poster, or by publishing it in a journal as a "bildiri" (paper). A novelty or a scientific topic is thus announced to the scientific community. 

Political declarations are also statements made by official institutions, non-governmental organizations, political parties, and states regarding their political views, political situations, ideologies, or programs. 

When we look at our history, there have been important declarations and announcements in our political past that have influenced and changed our political life. 

One of those that affected the public or political life in our recent history and remains in our memories is;

The "Petition of Intellectuals" with 1,300 signatures dated May 5, 1984. The petition was submitted to the Presidency and the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) of the time. This declaration, which was in the nature of a rebellion against the September 12 administration, was titled "Observations and Demands Regarding the Democratic Order in Turkey"; in it, intellectuals listed their democratic demands for human rights. 

Lawsuits were filed regarding the petition, difficult days were endured, its impact lasted for months and years, and it had a significant effect on getting Turkish democracy back on track. 

With the "absolute nullity" (mutlak butlan) decision, which was pre-arranged, planned, and put into action within the CHP, targeting Turkish democracy and the Republic of Turkey, the party was made two-headed. 

We, 221 former Members of Parliament, have published a declaration against this picture and the specifically externally-sourced plan targeting the CHP, which is the founding party of the Republic of Turkey and the most reliable political force of Turkish democracy. I attach great importance to this declaration. I believe that those who love this country and are worried about its future will take responsibility in line with this declaration. 

The declaration dated May 31, 2026, received intense attention in written and visual media, especially the Sözcü newspaper, and on social media. Relying on your indulgence, I would like to publish it once again in my column. 

PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT

We, as Members of Parliament and Senators who have served under the roof of the Republican People's Party (CHP) in previous terms of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, announce to the public that we do not accept the "absolute nullity" decision that targets the principle of the Rule of Law, the supremacy of the national will, and the legitimacy of democratic politics.

Political parties are indispensable elements of democratic political life. Intra-party processes and election processes regarding the will of the Party Congress are carried out under judicial supervision according to Article 79 of the Constitution. All kinds of objections regarding election processes are made first to the District Election Board and finally to the Supreme Election Council (YSK). If the YSK does not find any irregularities and rejects the objection, it issues the certificate of election to the elected person. According to Article 79, the decision given by the YSK is final and cannot be appealed. 

The use of the ruling power's judiciary as a tool to regulate politics is very dangerous in terms of the democratic order and opens wounds that are difficult to heal in the conscience of society.

For this reason, we evaluate the cancellation of the 38th Congress of the CHP, held 2.5 years ago, in which Mr. Özgür Özel was elected Chairman, on the grounds of "absolute nullity" as a heavy blow dealt to democratic politics, the principle of the rule of law, and the national will. Because; the source of political legitimacy is the national will. 

Ignoring the will that emerges at the ballot box shakes public trust in political institutions and justice. With the absolute nullity decision, the constitutional order has been interfered with by a politicized judiciary. This is an unacceptable situation. Those who advocate for absolute nullity are those who do not stand on the right side of history and have no hope for tomorrow. What is essential is the will of the CHP organizations and its members. The CHP cannot be directed or managed by extra-legal judicial decisions made under the guidance of political will.

Despite the provisions of the Constitution, the most correct, legitimate, and legal solution to resolve the fragmentation and discussions that are intended to be created within the CHP, the founding party of the Democratic and Secular Republic, with the decision taken by an unauthorized appellate court, before they grow, is to IMMEDIATELY call for an Extraordinary Congress. The "legal representation gap" currently created by the judiciary will be resolved as quickly as possible through the will of an Extraordinary Congress to be held within 45 days at the latest.

Thus, while a meaningful response is given to the ruling power's efforts to regulate politics through the judiciary, the great hope created by Mr. Özgür Özel—who was elected Chairman with the overwhelming support of CHP delegates and members in two extraordinary and one ordinary congress after the 38th Congress, and who has made the CHP Turkey's leading party again with his work—regarding the future of our country will be ensured to continue.

The CHP, which is the founder and guarantor of Turkey, is not ownerless. We, as former parliamentarians who come from the CHP organization and who favor political competition being shaped by the will of the nation rather than by unlawful methods, respectfully announce to the public that we will continue to resolutely protect Turkey's democratic accumulation, the will of the people, republican values, and the Republican People's Party, and we say IMMEDIATELY CONGRESS.

Respectfully,

FORMER TERM CHP MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT:

List Ordered by Surname

1. Erol Ağagil

2. Metin Arif Ağaoğlu

3. Yaşar Ağyüz

4. Mustafa Akaydın

5. Vezir Akdemir

6. Zekeriya Akıncı

7. Yakup Akkaya

8. Ayşe Nedret Akova

9. Bahattin Alagöz

10. Yavuz Altınorak

11. Züheyir Amber

12. Kemal Anadol

13. Ali Arabacı

14. Oya Araslı

15. Necla Arat

16. Çetin Arık

17. Arsan Savaş Arpacıoğlu

18. Ali Arslan

19. Şevket Arz

20. Gani Aşık

21. İsmet Atalay

22. Abdülkadir Ateş

23. Aytuğ Atıcı

24. Erkan Aydın

25. Hasan Aydın

26. Osman Aydın

27. Ergün Aydoğan

28. Hüseyin Aygün

29. Feridun Ayvazoğlu

30. Mustafa Balbay

31. Bülent Baratalı

32. Süheyl Batum

33. Hüseyin Bayındır

34. Coşkun Bayram

35. Gülsün Bilgehan

36. Hüsnü Bozkurt

37. Mehmet Boztaş

38. Çetin Osman Budak

39. Rıdvan Budak

40. Mehmet Büyükyılmaz

41. Barış Can

42. Ethem Cankurtaran

43. Mehmet Alev Coşkun

44. Mustafa Çakır

45. Rasim Çakır

46. Halil Çalık

47. Musa Çam

48. İsmet Çanakçı

49. Tolga Çandar

50. Vahit Çekmez

51. Süleyman Çelebi

52. İzzet Çetin

53. Ömer Çiftçi

54. Yüksel Çorbacıoğlu

55. Osman Çoşkunoğlu

56. Halil Çulhaoğlu

57. Ayşe Eser Danişoğlu

58. İsmail Değerli

59. Kemal Değirmendereli

60. Nurettin Demir

61. Yılmaz Demir

62. Ali Demirçalı

63. İlhan Demiröz

64. Turgut Dibek

65. Celal Dinçer

66. A. Sedat Doğan

67. Muharrem Doğan

68. Orhan Düzgün

69. Mehmet Ali Edipoğlu

70. Kemal Ekinci

71. Oktay Ekşi

72. Emine Gülizar Emecan

73. Orhan Eraslan

74. Nevin Gaye Erbatur

75. Tuncay Ercenk

76. Fuat Erçetin

77. Ali Haydar Erdoğan

78. Haydar Erdoğan

79. Hikmet Erenkaya

80. Abdurrezzak Erten

81. Refik Eryılmaz

82. Mustafa Gazalcı

83. Hasan Gemici

84. Nejat Gencan

85. Süleyman Girgin

86. Coşkun Gökalp

87. Cengiz Gökçel

88. Cemalettin Gürbüz

89. Zeynep Damla Gürel

90. Uluç Gürkan

91. Ayşe Gürocak

92. Güneş Gürseler

93. Hulusi Güvel

94. Namık Havutca

95. Mahmut Işık

96. Ruşen Işın

97. Mehmet Kahraman

98. Sena Kaleli

99. Nail Kamacı

100. İrfan Kaplan

101. Mehmet Hilal Kaplan

102. Emin Karaa

103. Selahattin Karaahmetoğlu

104. Erdal Karademir

105. Tuncay Karaytuğ

106. Atilla Kart

107. Mehmet Kartal

108. Yılmaz Kaya

109. Yakup Kepenek

110. Mehmet Kerimoğlu

111. Mehmet Kesimoğlu

112. Ahmet Güryüz Ketenci

113. Ali Keven

114. İsmet Önder Kırlı

115. Emin Koç

116. Haluk Koç

117. Tevfik Koçak

118. Muhsin Koçyiğit

119. Osman Korutürk

120. Erdal Koyuncu

121. Ural Köklü

122. Ali İhsan Köktürk

123. Emre Köprülü

124. Şevket Köse

125. Tufan Köse

126. Mustafa Kul

127. Şevki Kulkuloğlu

128. Kazım Kurt

129. Rüştü Kurt

130. Muzaffer Kurtulmuşoğlu

131. Sedef Küçük

132. Mehmet Küçükaşık

133. Faruk Loğoğlu

134. Türkan Miçooğulları

135. Mustafa Moroğlu

136. Güldal Mumcu

137. Ziya Gökalp Mülayim

138. Ali Oksal

139. Güldal Okuducu

140. Melda Onur

141. Selahattin Öcal

142. Ensar Öğüt

143. Kadir Gökmen Öğüt

144. Şinası Öktem

145. Hasan Ören

146. Sakine Öz

147. İsmail Özay

148. Ahmet Sırrı Özbek

149. Hüseyin Özcan

150. Osman Özcan

151. Suat Özcan

152. İbrahim Özdiş

153. Kamil Özev

154. Kazım Özev

155. Ufuk Özkan

156. Yüksel Özkan

157. Mustafa Özyurt

158. Mustafa Özyürek

159. Mehmet Parlakyiğit

160. Sedat Pekel

161. Kemal Sağ

162. Nadir Saraç

163. Faruk Sarıaslan

164. Ali Sarıbaş

165. Sıdıka Sarıbekir

166. Timucin Savaş

167. Mehmet Nuri Saygun

168. Bedri Serter

169. Nur Serter

170. Behiç Sonbay

171. Ertöz Vahit Suiçmez

172. Tayfur Süner

173. Ali Haydar Şahin

174. Şadan Şimşek

175. Yahya Şimşek

176. Ali Tekin

177. Hayati Tekin

178. Erol Tınaztepe

179. Mustafa Timisi

180. Mehmet Tomanbay

181. Ramis Topal

182. Binnaz Toprak

183. Muharrem Toprak

184. Altan Tuna

185. Zülfükar İnönü Tümer

186. Neccar Türkcan

187. Elif Doğan Türkmen

188. Rıza Türmen

189. Enis Tütüncü

190. Şahin Ulusoy

191. Engin Uysal

192. Necati Uzdil

193. Sedat Uzunbay

194. Zeki Ünal

195. Baha Ünlü

196. Halil Ünlütepe

197. Engin Ünsal

198. Hüseyin Ünsal

199. Fahrettin Üstün

200. Akın Üstündağ

201. Kazım Üstüner

202. Ali Cumhur Yaka

203. Rıza Yalçınkaya

204. Abdülaziz Yazar

205. M. Ziya Yergök

206. Erdoğan Yetenç

207. İdris Yıldız

208. Sacit Yıldız

209. Dilek Yılmaz

210. Mustafa Yılmaz (Malatya)

211. Necati Yılmaz

212. Rıza Yılmaz

213. Ahmet Yılmazkaya

214. Bayram Yılmazkaya

215. Selami Yiğit

216. Bekir Yurdagül

217. Candan Yüceer

218. Vedat Yücesan

219. Alaattin Yüksel

220. Şefik Zengin

221. Veli Zeren