Response from Serap Özbudun: My reply to the untrue statements made about me by CHP Chairman Mr. Özel

Özgür Özel had stated that Özbudun wanted to join the CHP before moving to the AKP, and that he had rejected her. In a four-page text published on her social media account, Özbudun denied Özel's claims.

She stated that CHP member Berna Polat had offered her a transfer to the CHP, and that during her meeting with Özel, she had told him she would not choose to join the CHP due to her criticisms regarding the party's historical mistakes.

Serap Yazıcı Özbudun's post is as follows:

"He said that if I continue to stay in the Future Party, I will have no future in politics"

"My reply to the untrue statements made about me today by CHP Chairman Mr. Özgür Özel

On October 9, 2024, at a fair opening I attended in Antalya, I encountered Ms. Berna Polat, a former member of the Future Party and currently a CHP member of the Antalya Kepez Municipal Council. We sat at a cafe in the Agora Antalya Shopping Mall and chatted. My advisor was also included in this conversation.

Ms. Berna said that if I continue to stay in the Future Party, I will have no future in politics. I told her that I had no such concern, that I have a profession, that I could find at least a part-time job at a university at the end of the term, and that I could maintain my intellectual satisfaction by writing books at home.

Ms. Berna asked if I would consider joining the CHP. I explained to her with my reasons that I had no such intention.

"WE WILL GIVE TWO PEOPLE TO YOUR GROUP, WE WILL TAKE YOU"

Ms. Berna Polat later conveyed the matter to Antalya CHP Deputy Mr. Mustafa Erdem. They called me from Antalya by phone and Mr. Erdem stated that he wanted to meet with me.

On a day in October, the date of which I cannot remember now, Mr. Mustafa Erdem saw me in the opposition lobby of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) and said he wanted to visit me. He came to visit me the same day. He brought up the subject of whether I could join the CHP. My answer was that I had no such inclination. But more importantly, I stated that the Saadet-Future group consisted of exactly twenty people and that I could not take a step that would break this group. Upon this, he jokingly replied, 'We will give two people to your group, we will take you.'

On a date I cannot remember (it can be found if phone records are examined), the advisor to Antalya Deputy Ms. Aliye Coşar called my advisor and asked, "I heard that my Deputy Serap will join us. Is it true?" My advisor's answer was, "Where did you hear this? I have no news of it. I am hearing it from you for the first time."

"OUR CHAIRMAN MR. ÖZGÜR ÖZEL WANTS TO MEET WITH YOU"

After that, there was no communication on this subject for a long time. On Tuesday, January 14, 2025, Berna Polat called my mobile phone via WhatsApp and said, 'Professor, can we talk? There is an important matter.' At that moment, I had arrived in front of the Future Party Headquarters. I was going to make it to a meeting. For this reason, I stated that I could listen to her briefly. Berna Polat told me, 'Our Chairman Mr. Özgür Özel wants to meet with you.' I told her that my schedule was busy on Tuesday and Wednesday (January 14-15, 2025), so I could not meet before Thursday. My advisor is also a witness to this dialogue.

On January 15, 2025, while I was at the meeting of the Research Commission on Preventing All Kinds of Violence and Discrimination Against Women, Berna Polat, who could not reach me because my mobile phone was in airplane mode, called my advisor from her personal phone. Since she was also accompanying me at the meeting and could not answer her phone, Berna Polat wrote the following message to my advisor: "The chairman wants to meet, Mustafa Erdem called, Professor Serap's phone was off, what shall we do?" I can prove this correspondence.

After the commission meeting ended, I came to the deputies' restaurant in the main building of the TBMM and, after placing my food order, I called Mr. Mustafa Erdem at 19:19 from my registered mobile phone. Mr. Mustafa Erdem was at the Plan and Budget Committee meeting. "The Chairman wants to see you, Professor," he said. I asked in surprise, "When? Now?" "Yes, yes, Professor, because he will go to Istanbul tomorrow morning to support the Beşiktaş Mayor," he said. I told him that I was eating at that moment, that I had been in meetings all day, and that I could not go anywhere before finishing my meal. "Let's go immediately after the meal, Professor," he said. I asked him where this meeting would be. I would not have accepted if it were outside, at any restaurant. "At the Headquarters," he said. "Okay, let me finish my meal, let's go," I said.

"HE STATED THAT DEPUTY GÖKÇE GÖKÇEN, A YOUNG CONSTITUTIONAL EXPERT, WOULD ALSO BE VERY PLEASED WITH MY JOINING THE CHP"

At 19:48 and 20:01, Mr. Mustafa Erdem called me again and said we needed to go as soon as possible. "Okay, let me finish my meal. We will meet in my office," I said. Because the Plan and Budget Committee is close to my office.

At 20:16, my third advisor sent a message to my first advisor: "Our Antalya deputy has arrived, they are waiting for the professor in the room, be aware, he said we will go somewhere with Professor Serap." I can also prove this correspondence.

In the end, I went up to my room. Mr. Mustafa Erdem came to my vehicle. We went to the CHP Headquarters in my vehicle. My third advisor was driving my vehicle and my first advisor was also in the vehicle. When we arrived at the CHP Headquarters, my first advisor, myself, and Antalya CHP Deputy Mustafa Erdem went up to the Chairman's floor.

The Chief of Staff welcomed us in the Chief of Staff's office. We sat in this office for a while. İzmir Deputy Mr. Salih Uzun, who was independent at that time, left the Chairman's office, and Özgür Özel said, "Welcome, Professor," and took Mustafa Erdem and me into his office.

He stated that they would be pleased with my joining the CHP, that a constitutional amendment was awaiting Turkey, that perhaps a semi-presidential system would be transitioned to in this amendment, and that Deputy Gökçe Gökçen, who is a young constitutional expert, would also be very pleased with my joining the CHP.

I replied to him, "Mr. Chairman, first of all, thank you for your invitation. However, I think there will be a tissue incompatibility between me and your party. What do you say?" I listed the reasons for this tissue incompatibility as follows.

First and most importantly, you created the 367 crisis. Together with Professor Ergun, we passionately argued that this crisis was unconstitutional. This crisis you created ultimately led to the 2007 constitutional amendment. With this amendment, the rule enabling the President to be elected by the public was accepted. This constitutional amendment, in turn, laid the groundwork for the Presidential Government System that we are complaining about today.

Secondly, you condemned Turkish politics to the headscarf issue for nearly 40 years. I also believe in the importance of the principle of secularism. Because this principle is, in reality, the guarantee of freedom of religion. However, you cannot force a woman to choose between freedom of religion and freedom of education, or freedom of religion and freedom of work, on the grounds that you are protecting secularism. Since a religious man possesses both freedom of religion and freedom of education and work at the same time, a woman cannot be deprived of this right. At this point, we part ways with you," I said.

"MR. CHAIRMAN, THERE IS ALSO AN INVITATION FROM THE AK PARTY, I HAVE NOT MADE MY DECISION YET"

He, on the other hand, stated that his ideas in this direction had changed, and that he was conducting transfer negotiations with a headscarved deputy who entered the Parliament from the CHP lists.

'Finally, thirdly, in 2007, you accused us of bringing Sharia and federalism without reading the Draft Civil Constitution we prepared under the chairmanship of Professor Ergun. Thus, you prevented a very great opportunity before Turkey. Mr. Chairman, had you ever read this draft?' I asked.

He told me that he had not read the draft but had read a report written on this draft. "Do not trust such reports," I said. "Read the text itself."

While this dialogue was taking place between us, Özgür Özel was writing messages on his mobile phone, thinking that I would not notice because I did not see it. In fact, he was not fully concentrating on this dialogue. Since this was a great disrespect towards me, I said, "Mr. Chairman, you have a trip to Istanbul tomorrow. I also need to be in the General Assembly."

"Therefore, I request your permission," I added. Moreover, I put the final point by saying, "Mr. Chairman, there is also an invitation from the AK Party. I have not made my decision yet."

He stated that he would respect me if I continued to stay in the Future Party, and that he did not find it right if I accepted the AK Party's invitation. I, on the other hand, stood up, expressing in a polite language that I had not yet made a decision. He helped me. My advisor, who was waiting in the Chief of Staff's office, immediately came to us and joined us. Thus, we left there and came to the TBMM.

On January 31, 2025, Berna Polat sent a WhatsApp message to my advisor. My advisor also gave a negative answer to her upon my instruction. This correspondence is as follows. I can also prove this correspondence.

'Hello Meltem, how are you? I want to have a WhatsApp call with my deputy today. When will you be available? Hello President Berna, I am fine, thank you... How are you? Professor Serap will go to the cemetery to visit her late husband today. Would it be appropriate if I let you know afterwards? Hope to see you...'

I did not respond to Ms. Berna's request. On subsequent dates, Ms. Berna called me several times. I did not answer the phone. I am making all these statements to inform the public regarding Mr. Özgür Özel's speech containing slanders about me at the group meeting dated February 25, 2025. NOTE: I am not publishing screenshots of all correspondences out of respect for personal data."