What was discussed in the Özel-Çerçioğlu meeting? Here is what happened before the resignation...

CHP Chairman Özgür Özel explained the process of Aydın Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Özlem Çerçioğlu's departure from the party and her transition to the AKP to his party staff. According to the report by Sözcü, Özel criticized Çerçioğlu with the words, "Women in our party are brave, but those who receive their mandate in the cafeteria could not show courage."

According to the information Özel shared with his staff, the process developed as follows:

"She came to me, she was uneasy, her voice was trembling. She explained that there were people in the ruling party dealing with her and wanting her to be arrested. She said they would file criminal complaints with 12-13 files. I asked, 'Is there any account you cannot give, why are you so worried?' She said, 'Normally there isn't, but can you trust these people?' I told her, 'They might slander you, stand tall, we are behind you,' she thanked me and left."

THE BREAKING POINT AFTER 23 YEARS

In party corridors, the difference between Çerçioğlu's current attitude and her brave stance in the past is also being discussed. For Çerçioğlu, who years ago opposed a coffin left in front of the municipality by saying, "I won't fit in this coffin, it's too small," and earned the nickname 'Topuklu Efe' (High-Heeled Efe) with this outburst, comments are being made that "She wasn't afraid of the coffin, but she was defeated by the files." Her transition to the AKP, which she had harshly criticized for 23 years, is being evaluated within the CHP as "the biggest breaking point since Lieutenant Mehmet Ali Çelebi." In party corridors, comments such as "Even former Secretary General Ertuğrul Günay had not caused this much disappointment" are also drawing attention.

THE TARGET IS IZMIR

While Çerçioğlu's joining the AKP has caused a major shock in the CHP, the view that "a rematch will be taken in the first election" prevails. It is rumored that the AKP plans to nominate Çerçioğlu not from Aydın, but from İzmir in the next elections. The CHP front, on the other hand, aims to end Çerçioğlu's political influence in the Aegean by winning İzmir again in response to this possibility.

As it will be remembered, before the 2024 local elections, when Tunç Soyer's candidacy for the İzmir Metropolitan Municipality was not finalized, Çerçioğlu wanted the İzmir candidacy, but Özgür Özel had chosen Karşıyaka Mayor Cemil Tugay instead.