Özgür Özel explains 'rejuvenation' steps in CHP: 'We expect you to take charge'

Özel attended the "Cities Will Be Governed by Youth - Digital Youth Meeting" at the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Culture Inc. Digital Experience Museum.

Stating that the issue of national survival has been constantly on the agenda in recent days, Özel said that the survival issue of this century is created by the fact that the country's youth dream of going to another country.

Emphasizing that 3 out of 4 young people today have their bags packed in their minds, Özel said, "In surveys, 70 percent of young people say, 'If I find the opportunity, I want to go abroad, settle there, and stay there.' This is the biggest survival issue of this country. We will solve the survival issue by believing in ourselves, in the youth, and by making a claim about the country's future. I invite all the young people my voice reaches, regardless of their views, to politics, and to the CHP if they see fit."

"THE REPUBLIC IS ENTRUSTED TO YOU"

Stating that the CHP will remove all obstacles in front of young people in politics and provide them with every kind of opportunity, Özel continued his words as follows:

"As the Chairman of the party, my responsibility is less than yours because the founder of the party did not entrust the Republic to me and leave. He did not say it is entrusted to the chairmen of the CHP, to the metropolitan mayors, to the chiefs of general staff. He did not even entrust it to the army. It would have been easiest to entrust it to the army, of which he was the commander-in-chief, but he did not entrust it to anyone. We also believe in you, we trust you. The Republic is entrusted to you. The CHP is also your party. We expect you to take care of both trusts."

"I TRUST THE YOUTH VERY MUCH"

Expressing that he is satisfied with the votes given by the youth of Istanbul 5 years ago, Özgür Özel spoke as follows:

"In the research I read, young people who voted for Ekrem İmamoğlu 5 years ago are voting again, but a very significant portion of the young people who did not vote for him are also turning towards İmamoğlu. Young people reward labor. That is why I believe in and trust young people in politics very much. In this election, we entrust all our young candidates to Atatürk's youth of all ages.

We entrust all our female candidates first to female voters and then to everyone who says, 'I love Atatürk, I protect the Republic.' Voting for young people and women is voting for the Republic, it is voting for the vision put forward by Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. I believe in our young candidates, especially our young female candidates, very much. I entrust them all, first and foremost, to women and to the youth of the Republic of all ages."

"WE EXPECT YOU TO TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR FUTURE"

Stating that they will open the way for young people to the fullest, Özel said, "The CHP will become a party worthy of Atatürk and the young Republic founded a hundred years ago. We took the first step with courage and all together. We will take the next steps together and with courage again."

Underlining that it is very important for youth branches to look out for each other, Özel said, "Steps regarding youth in the CHP did not start today. Let us remember that the youth branch and women's quota were included in the party charter during the term of our previous Chairman, Mr. Kılıçdaroğlu.

My most important expectation is that the youth branches support the elected young mayors and municipal council members. What will pave the way for young people will be your success. Young people, we expect you to take charge of your own future. If a coup were to be staged in all parties saying, 'Those over 40 should go, those under 40 should stay,' I would say, 'I am in for this.'"

"WE INVITE YOUNG PEOPLE TO BECOME CHP MEMBERS"

Stating that politics is male-dominated and conducted by those over a certain age, Özel said, "If Turkey's average age is 34, then the CHP, the party of Atatürk, the party of the Republic, the party that brought democracy to Turkey, will also be 34 years old. We are currently 43, we will continue the struggle until we bring it down to 34."

Pointing out that a process has begun in the CHP where being young and a woman is an advantage rather than a disadvantage, Özel said, "Let no one think that education and merit will be squandered. For this, we invite all young people to become CHP members and take their places on digital democratic participation platforms. If we can achieve what we aim for in a year, political parties around the world will be talking about the digitalization and rejuvenation in the CHP."

News Source: AA