First statement from Tunç Soyer after not being nominated! 'It is a disrespect to the people of İzmir'

Cemil Tugay has become the Republican People's Party (CHP) candidate for the İzmir Metropolitan Municipality.

CHP's İzmir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Tunç Soyer, who was not nominated again, made a statement on his social media account.

CRITICISM OF CHP MANAGEMENT

Stating that he learned he would not be nominated 5 minutes before the Central Executive Board (MYK) meeting, Soyer said, "I evaluate this as political discourtesy, to put it mildly. However, I think that what is more serious than this discourtesy are the shortcomings and mistakes in the Republican People's Party's candidate determination processes."

Soyer included the following statements in his announcement;

"Dear people of İzmir,

I worked with all my heart and soul, first in Seferihisar and then in İzmir, and during this time I initiated many practices that would set an example for Turkey. I strove to do clean and successful work that Republican People's Party members would be proud of and that would be remembered with respect. I did not carry a love for a seat, but only a love for my country. I never strayed from the path of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. Thank God, my head is held high, my forehead is clear, and my conscience is at ease.

At the end of the first term of my Metropolitan Mayorship, where I was proud to be a soldier of the Republican People's Party for 35 years, I evaluate the fact that I was notified 5 minutes before the MYK meeting that I would not be nominated for a new term as political discourtesy, to put it mildly. However, I think that what is more serious than this discourtesy are the shortcomings and mistakes in the Republican People's Party's candidate determination processes.

First of all, the work carried out behind closed doors by the Headquarters, the satisfaction surveys that were said to have been conducted, their number, method, and results are neither fair in form nor in substance. While the same objective criteria should have been applied for all mayors in the candidacy processes, unfortunately, this was not the case.

Furthermore, there is no indication that the voice of the organization was heard, or that the preferences of the grassroots and non-governmental organizations were taken into account. Despite requests, no primary election was held, and the process was not shared transparently with the people of İzmir. It is worrying that instead of doing all these things, only the path of political rewarding and punishing was followed. 

When the entire process is evaluated, the delay in announcing the candidates is a disrespect to the people of İzmir.

Independent of all these criticisms, I congratulate all our metropolitan and district mayoral candidates whose candidacies have been announced and wish them great success.

I take pride in the fact that the İzmir Metropolitan Municipality is the municipality that allocates the largest share of its budget to investments among all metropolitan municipalities. I would like to briefly mention our international relations that made it possible for us to do this.

The international relations I initiated during my term as Mayor of Seferihisar first led to the spread of Cittaslow (slow city) practices to Turkey and finally reached the point where I was appointed President of the Chamber of Local Authorities of the Council of Europe three months ago. This presidency, of which 130,000 local governments from 46 countries are members, is the highest office of Turkey and our party before the Council of Europe, and this seat will also be lost due to the end of my mayoral term in two months.

As I expressed in the "New Politics Document İzmir Stance" text on June 21, following the last general elections, it has once again emerged that the change that the Republican People's Party will experience must be made through social democratic and leftist values. Changing the authoritarian and populist political climate will be possible with the expansion of alliances that will form on these values and the growth of social opposition by being fed from these roots. This is inevitable for our country's course to be turned towards a bright future.

I know that the antidote to all the global crises that humanity is in, such as economic and political crises, the climate crisis, wars, and poverty, lies in contemporary and democratic principles. 

As I have done until today, I will remain loyal to its institutional values and principles to the end, and my struggle will continue for democracy to take more shape not only in candidate determination processes but also in the formation of party policies.

There is no need for any citizen of İzmir, whom I am honored to serve, to fall into despair or to be saddened.

I will continue to work until my last breath to carry this glorious legacy forward in İzmir, which is the fortress of democracy and which has revealed the most beautiful applications of it in Turkey. 

We will definitely succeed."

Dear people of İzmir,

I worked with all my heart and soul, first in Seferihisar and then in İzmir, and during this time I initiated many practices that would set an example for Turkey. I strove to do clean and successful work that Republican People's Party members would be proud of and that would be remembered with respect. Love for a seat...

— Tunç Soyer (@tuncsoyer) January 30, 2024

News Source: 12punto