Özgür Özel's first response to Erdoğan's 'CHP is misogynistic' remarks: The one who is hostile to women in Istanbul

Özel stated regarding Kadıköy Municipal Council Deputy Speaker Ahmet Kurtuluş, who interrupted an AKP council member and against whom a detention order was issued, "I have referred my municipal council member to the disciplinary board. So that he may face the consequences."

Regarding the "misogynistic" remarks made by President and AKP Chairman Recep Tayyip Erdoğan about the CHP during an 8 March event, Özel recalled the women who were removed from the protest area by water cannons (TOMA) and detained on International Women's Day, saying, "If there is a misogynist in Turkey, it is none other than Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who is hostile to all women in Turkey and, representing all those women, to the women in Istanbul today."

"MR. TAYYİP GAVE INSTRUCTIONS TO THE RIOT POLICE"

“We have been sparring with Mr. Erdoğan throughout the day. Most recently, just a little while ago, he said, ‘The Republican People's Party is misogynistic.’ The women in Manisa responded with laughter, and I thank them very much. Now, there is a reality on the country's agenda. A world of correct things is being done, and done, and done. One wrong thing is done. It ruins everything. Yesterday, there was an AK Party female member in the Kadıköy Municipal Council. While speaking, she supposedly abused her right to speak or something. What would happen if men abuse everything everywhere, let one woman extend her speech, let her talk a bit too much. The anxiety of our Municipal Council Deputy Speaker who was presiding there turned into rudeness. He said, ‘Hey, silence that woman.’ This took a bad place on the country's agenda. I was also saddened.

Today, both Mr. Tayyip and I gave instructions. With the instruction I gave, I referred my municipal council member who said that to that female municipal council member yesterday to the disciplinary board. So that he may face the consequences. Whatever his crime is, so that he may face the consequences. Mr. Tayyip also gave an instruction. I punished the one who silenced a woman; Mr. Tayyip gave instructions to the riot police, he put water cannons in front of the women who wanted to go to Istiklal Square in Istanbul, he put riot police against them. He is spraying water, he is spraying gas. Mr. Tayyip is putting an obstacle in front of all women expressing their words. As Nefi said, this remark that Mr. Tayyip made to us, ‘In my opinion, his compliment is hidden in his slander.’

On one side, there is the Republican People's Party, which only makes women Ministers of Family, which codes women only with family and children, and which appointed nine women and nine men to its shadow cabinet. On one side, there is the party of Tayyip Erdoğan, who is an alliance partner of HÜDA PAR, the successor to Hezbollah, which makes alliances with them by obtaining a reversal in the public interest at the Court of Cassation for the murderers of Gonca Kuriş, who said ‘Single women should be taken under protection.’ On the other side, there is the Republican People's Party, which says, ‘The day we come to power, we will put the Istanbul Convention into effect.’ That is why his compliment is hidden in his slander. And under these conditions, if there is a misogynist in Turkey, it is none other than Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who is hostile to all women in Turkey and, representing all those women, to the women in Istanbul today.”

"EVERY STEP WILL BE TAKEN TOGETHER"

We will continue to walk hand in hand, arm in arm, side by side, as men and women, both in Manisa and in Turkey. This march began 100 years ago. In 1930, women's representation began in municipalities and local governments, and in 1935 in Parliament, before the rest of the world. We could not surpass that representation of 18 women in 1935 for many long years. Now, the picture in Parliament is shameful, but the Republican People's Party, starting from these local elections and applying its quotas using the zipper method, has been able to nominate 6,500 female Municipal Council candidates. It has increased the number of female mayors with a 450 percent increase. It has elected a female mayor to this district, which is called the 'city of princes' and where future leaders are raised, it has changed its party charter and brought it to this point: 33 percent in the first election, 40 percent two years later or at the first grand congress, and 45 percent in the next.

We have demonstrated a determination that will bring us to equal representation at the end of three steps and will implement this in the strictest way. From now on, every step will be taken more securely than the previous one, and they will be taken together. I also kiss the hands of Ferdi Başkan's mother. We thank her as well. We kiss the hands of all the women and all the mothers in this hall, those who are alive, and we commemorate those who are no longer with us with mercy. I also kiss the hands of my daughter, who started her legal internship today, my wife, who has always been my greatest supporter and whom I learned has now joined the women's march, and my one and only dear mother who is among us, on behalf of all women in Turkey. I greet you all with love and respect. I am glad you exist.”