Özgür Özel on becoming the ruling party: 'If I don't make my party the government, I won't stay for a day'

CHP Chairman Özgür Özel appeared on a live broadcast of KRT TV this evening. Responding to questions, Özel made statements regarding the election and also evaluated the remarks made by AKP Chairman and President Erdoğan. 

The highlights of Özel's statements are as follows:

"This is my first election. My heart's desire is not to lose any municipality. But even when we are at our strongest, you lose dozens of municipalities and you win dozens of municipalities. I won't say 'this is the end' like Ms. Meral [Akşener] did, because it is too early for me as this is my first election. The CHP is entering this election alone. I believe this result will be a result to be appreciated. If I do not make my party the government in a general election, I will not stay for a day; I will resign. If I do not make my party the government during such a period when people are so hungry for success and are going through such a traumatic time, I will not stay for a day. This election will take place under very special conditions. I believe incredibly in measurement and evaluation. The CHP utilized polls while determining its candidates, but for example, 46 deputies were sent to İzmir, and a report was prepared. There were times we applied several methods together. For a chairman, losing a municipality is like a father losing a child.”

"SURPRISING DATA"

I do not find it right to release polls shortly before an election. The data suggesting Antalya is shifting to the AK Party is surprising to me. In Hatay, Lütfü Savaş is rapidly closing the gap and looks like he will win the election. If we win Hatay, it will not be a surprise to me.

We must retake Istanbul and Ankara. The issue of female candidates is a matter I insist on very much. Erdoğan codes 'woman' as equal to 'family.' But if we are to follow the path drawn by Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, this struggle will continue until half of the candidates are women.

STATEMENT ON BURCU KÖKSAL

Burcu Köksal delaying her statement until three o'clock the next day put us into turbulence. I did not hear the expression she used; if I had heard it, I would have intervened at that moment. I saw the intent with which the expression was said, but in politics, how it is evaluated by the other side is important. Burcu Köksal said, 'You correct it, Chairman.' And I said, 'The door of the CHP is open to everyone.' What Ms. Burcu meant was, 'I will manage the municipality here myself, we have no alliance with the DEM [Party].' Using these expressions with these specific words could have disturbed voters who voted for the DEM Party in general elections and who would vote for the CHP of their own volition in local elections. The definitive statements within the speech dropped after we got involved.

Our nation does not like dishonesty. Abdülkadir Selvi writes about dialogues that never happened as if they did.

"ERDOĞAN'S JOB IS TO LOWER INFLATION, HE SHOULD MIND HIS OWN BUSINESS"

Erdoğan's job is to lower inflation; he should mind his own business. His job is not to talk about CHP backroom politics. If you were to say, 'You should boast about something the CHP has done,' I would say that the CHP is the only party that exchanges holiday greetings with all other parties.”