İYİ Party elects new Chairman: Müsavat Dervişoğlu emerges first in the election

The İYİ Party, which decided to enter the local elections as 'free and independent', fell to the position of the sixth party across Turkey after receiving 3.77 percent of the vote on March 31.

As the election results caused frustration, İYİ Party Chairman Meral Akşener decided to hold a congress and announced that she would not be a candidate.

The 5th Extraordinary Congress of the İYİ Party began at the Ankara Chamber of Commerce Congress Center.

We are at our 5th Extraordinary Grand Congress... https://t.co/wkw7GykfGQ

— İYİ Parti (@iyiparti) April 27, 2024

Koray Aydın, Müsavat Dervişoğlu, Mehmet Tolga Akalın, and Günay Kodaz are competing for the chairmanship.

CANDIDATES COMPLETED THEIR SPEECHES

Following İYİ Party Chairman Meral Akşener, Müsavat Dervişoğlu, Mehmet Tolga Akalın, Koray Aydın, and Günay Kodaz delivered their speeches in order.

Click for the full speech of Müsavat Dervişoğlu

Click for the full speech of Mehmet Tolga Akalın

Click for the full speech of Koray Aydın

Click for the full speech of Günay Kodaz

VOTING PROCESS HAS ENDED

Following the candidates' speeches, the voting process for the chairmanship race began as of 15:45.

The voting process ended as of 16:45.

ŞÜKRÜ KULEYİN BECAME THE DIVAN CHAIRMAN

In the congress where spectators were not admitted, Corporate Relations President Şükrü Kuleyin was elected as the divan chairman by unanimous vote.

BALLOT COLORS OF THE CANDIDATES

Since there was more than one candidate at the congress, a separate ballot paper was used for each candidate within the framework of the bylaws.

Accordingly, at the congress, Koray Aydın was represented by a yellow ballot, Müsavat Dervişoğlu by blue, Tolga Akalın by white, and Günay Kodaz by a red ballot.

FAREWELL SPEECH FROM AKŞENER

Before the speeches of the chairmanship candidates, Meral Akşener took the podium for the 'last time' and said farewell.

Before Akşener took the podium, footage of Akşener was shown to the party members and the song "Even if you leave one day, your memory is enough" was played.

Highlights from Akşener's statements are as follows:

Today I am speaking to you from this podium for the last time. Because today is the day to hand over the trust. I have spent 30 years of my life working on the political stage in different periods for the future of our country and the security of our state. There was only one thing that motivated me, and that was to pay my debt of gratitude to our nation, which educated me as a boarding student free of charge throughout my entire education life, and to our state, which is being destroyed day by day.

For this cause, for 30 years, as a woman, I have faced difficulties, slanders, and threats. I have fought against the immoral people of every era. My mind and my conscience have been at ease. I have never had a personal interest. I have never had a wound to be ashamed of. There has never been a power that could silence my conscience. I have never had any tolerance for lies and deceit. I have never bowed to threats. I have not had even a speck of fear.

"ATTRACTIVE OFFERS COULD NOT SILENCE ME"

The finger-wagging hands of those I stood against for the sake of the nation's rights could not intimidate me, attractive offers could not silence me, promises of office could not stop me, and threats that I would be arrested did not even matter to me. I have always stood behind all the decisions I have made, and I continue to stand behind them today. Despite being threatened with death on February 28, I took a stance against the tutelary powers. In 2010, while everyone was walking around saying 'not enough but yes', I personally went to the leading figures, including the very top of the government, and told them, 'Don't do this, this absurdity will hit you too.' Unfortunately, our nation had to collect its state from the streets and bridges, and I was proven right.

In 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2023, I warned both the government and the main opposition by saying that one should not be stubborn with the nation. Even when everyone was silent, I became the one who shouted the voice of the nation. Those who directed all kinds of insults and curses at me and resorted to slander have started saying the same things as me today. There are even some who say, albeit in a low voice, that I was right. What can I say, good morning to you.

Let's come to today, that is 2024... In line with the decision of our authorized boards, we entered the March 31 elections freely. We founded the İYİ Party to create a new option for our nation, which was condemned to fights and fears. Just as I have stood behind all the decisions that both I and our party have made until today, I have stood behind this decision as well.

I was aware of how difficult a path we set out on. I was aware that we were carrying out the struggle of those who believed with their hearts against those who were bought. I was aware that we were carrying out the struggle of those who believed with their hearts against those who were bought. I am standing in front of you at the forefront when it comes to paying the price.

"I KNEW HOW TO PAY THE PRICE WHEN NECESSARY"

I knew how to pay the price when necessary. I have never regretted this, and I do not regret it today either. Today, I am in front of you for the last time with the peace of having done everything that fell to me. I am in front of you for the last time with the happiness of having made the voice of the nation heard without entering into any calculations or bargaining.

"WE HAVE COME TO THESE DAYS BY PASSING THROUGH MINEFIELDS"

I am in front of you for the last time with the pride of not having made our stance a snack for bargaining tables. I am in front of you with the peace of mind of having fought without giving up for a moment, just like the first day we founded the İYİ Party. May God grant everyone such a farewell. We did not come to these days by passing through flower gardens, but through minefields. We said that Turkey has many wounds and we will be the ointment. We never moved forward by leaning our backs on somewhere. When we were founding this party, I said, do not forget where and how we came from.

"I DID NOT ALLOW THOSE WHO WANTED TO COLLAPSE THE İYİ PARTY"

It is not because we were wrong, but I took the failure, now you will achieve the success. I paid the price, now you will keep the account. Some of you came as sister and brother and asked me for a home, and I made the İYİ Party a home for you. I did not allow those who wanted to destroy, disperse, or collapse it. From today on, you will protect this house. You will look after this house from now on. May your path and fortune be open. Goodbye…"

FIRST ROUND COMPLETED

The first round for the chairmanship election at the İYİ Party's 5th Extraordinary Congress has been completed.

Among the candidates, Koray Aydın received 472 votes, Müsavat Dervişoğlu 370, Mehmet Tolga Akalın 327, and Günay Kodaz 2 votes.

Mehmet Tolga Akalın, one of the İYİ Party chairmanship candidates, announced that he had withdrawn from the candidacy. The elections will continue with the second round.

SECOND ROUND COMPLETED

The second round for the chairmanship election at the İYİ Party's 5th Extraordinary Congress has been completed. Among the candidates, Koray Aydın received 565 votes and Müsavat Dervişoğlu 570 votes. The elections will continue with the third round.

KODAZ ASKED FOR VOTES FOR HIS RIVAL KORAY AYDIN, DELEGATES BOOED

İYİ Party Chairmanship Candidate Günay Kodaz asked for votes for his rival Koray Aydın, and after those moments, he was booed by the delegates in the hall. The chairmanship election continues at the İYİ Party's 5th Extraordinary Congress.

Chairmanship Candidate Günay Kodaz, who received 3 votes in the second round of the election, asked for votes for his rival Koray Aydın.

After Kodaz asked for votes for Aydın, he was booed by the delegates present in the hall. Kodaz, who was booed by the delegates, left the hall.

NEW CHAIRMAN IS MÜSAVAT DERVİŞOĞLU

Müsavat Dervişoğlu, who received the votes of 611 delegates in the third round of the chairmanship election at the İYİ Party's 5th Extraordinary Congress, became the new chairman of the İYİ Party. His rival Koray Aydın received 548 votes.