Butlan CHP sets a date for the party congress: Will Kılıçdaroğlu be a candidate?

Yıldırım Kaya, a member of the Butlan CHP administration, held a press conference at the CHP Headquarters.

Yıldırım Kaya, who is part of the Butlan CHP administration, answered questions about the current agenda at a press conference held at his party's headquarters. Evaluating the presidential candidacy process, Kaya stated that instead of determining a candidate on its own, the CHP should act in concert with the opposition front.

According to a report by Cumhuriyet, Kaya stated that the memorandum on the strengthened parliamentary system signed during the 6-party table process remains valid, and argued that joint action is necessary for a change in government.

Kaya stated, “There is a necessity to act in concert with the entire opposition front that is uncomfortable with one-man rule and advocates for a strengthened parliamentary system. The CHP or any other party cannot ensure the change of this regime by determining its own candidate alone. The CHP will not determine a candidate on its own; it will conduct its struggle with a joint candidate.”

RESPONSE TO THE KILIÇDAROĞLU QUESTION

Responding to the question of whether Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu will be a candidate for party leader again, Kaya pointed to the will of the congress.

Kaya said, “We will continue our path with whoever the congress will nominates. Our leader has never said, ‘I am a candidate for this position,’ and he will not say so in the future. But if this party needs Kemal, those in need will invite him to duty.”

EMPHASIS ON ‘CANDIDATE IMPOSITION’ FOR MANSUR YAVAŞ

When asked about his views on the potential presidential candidacy of Ankara Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Mansur Yavaş, Kaya stated that no single name should be prioritized over the alliance.

Expressing that the CHP has never had a claim to determine its own candidate alone until now, Kaya said that candidate imposition must be avoided to establish a partnership.

Kaya stated, “The CHP has never had a claim to determine its own candidate alone until now. From now on, it will certainly have its own proposal. But you cannot form an alliance with a candidate imposition.”

Kaya also expressed that in the political process, the work to be done and the goals are more important than names.

WHEN WILL THE CONGRESS CALENDAR BEGIN?

Kaya was also asked about the expectation that the CHP's congress process would begin in September and its postponement to the end of October. Stating that even if an accelerated calendar is implemented, district congresses cannot begin before October 17, Kaya said that the congress process will proceed accordingly.

Kaya also responded to assessments that if a snap election decision is made in 2027, the CHP could be prevented from participating in the election on the grounds that it did not hold a congress.

‘THE CONGRESS WILL BE HELD BY APRIL AT THE LATEST’

Stating that the congresses previously held by the CHP were deemed invalid by court decisions, Kaya argued that his party is not a party that does not hold congresses and noted the following:

“If they head toward a snap election, we will immediately convene a snap congress. The CHP is not a party that has not held a congress since 2020. We held our congresses. However, the judiciary deemed the congresses we held null and void for one reason or another.

In other words, if you do not hold a congress, then you are subject to sanctions.

We have held the congress, and the judiciary said for one reason or another: ‘I have canceled this.’ We held 5 congresses, and it canceled all 5. Therefore, we are a party that holds congresses. There is no such drawback. The date of the CHP congress will be clear after the provincial congresses are finished in February. And we will have held the congress in March, or by April at the latest.”