Notable statement from Özgür Özel, the newly elected Chairman

At the CHP 38th Ordinary Congress, 1,367 congress delegates from 81 provinces elected the party's new chairman and new party administration. Özgür Özel became the new Chairman of the CHP.

8TH CHAIRMAN ÖZGÜR ÖZEL

Özel became the 8th Chairman of the CHP, the first political party of the Republic of Turkey, following Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, İsmet İnönü, Bülent Ecevit, Deniz Baykal, Hikmet Çetin, Altan Öymen, and Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu.

RECEIVED 812 VOTES IN THE SECOND ROUND

In the election that went to a second round, Chairman of the Congress Council Ekrem İmamoğlu took the podium around 03:00 and announced the new Chairman of the CHP. Özel became the chairman by receiving 812 votes. Kılıçdaroğlu received 536 votes.

MET WITH PROVINCIAL CHAIRS

Chairman Özgür Özel invited the 81 provincial chairs to a meeting at 09:30 in the morning to determine the Party Assembly candidates. 

Özel made statements after the meeting.

Starting his remarks by commemorating one of the past chairmen of the CHP, Bülent Ecevit, with mercy, here are the highlights from Özel's statements:

"We chose to have our first breakfast together today. Chatting together was good for us. Today, as the first chairman of the second century of the Republic and as the first provincial chairs, we all confirm together that this festival of democracy we are experiencing is not a deficiency or a dispute, but a richness and a source of pride for our party and for Turkey. We left the hall yesterday with our 81 provincial chairs, and we are together today.

Our organization and our provincial chairs expressed that they will all support our key list together. This is very valuable. However, we would prefer that this key list not be perceived by the public as a block list.

Everything we pledged yesterday; our commitments regarding the charter change and preliminary elections, and our commitment that our provinces and districts will not be left alone, were reaffirmed today. From now on, we will continue to walk the path with a provincial management approach that empowers the CHP organization and draws strength from its organization. The applause inside a little while ago was not for me, it was not for each other. Inside, we all applauded our party's 7th Chairman, the leader of our Justice March, Mr. Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, who has served as chairman for our provincial chairs until now. We will continue to benefit from his experience from now on."

"THERE WILL BE A HANDOVER"

We will complete the congress today. There are no objections so far, but there will be a 48-hour objection period after the Party Assembly today. Once it is determined when the certificate of election will be issued accordingly, we will meet with our Chairman. Of course, there will be a handover. There will be a formal handover, but there will always be a communication channel through which our Chairman transfers the experience he has accumulated to us.

We will continue to benefit from the experience of Mr. Kılıçdaroğlu, whom we deemed worthy of governing Turkey and who received the support of almost one in every two people."

News Source: 12punto