Junta controversy grows: Süleyman Soylu’s 'British' outburst at Özel

The 21st Extraordinary Congress of the Republican People's Party (CHP), which was decided to be held against the "danger of trustees," took place yesterday at the Yenimahalle Nazım Hikmet Culture Center. Muratpaşa Mayor Ümit Uysal withdrew his candidacy for party chairman, while former MP Berhan Şimşek could not become a candidate because he missed the application deadline. 

ÖZEL RE-ELECTED CHAIRMAN

Özgür Özel, the sole candidate, was re-elected as CHP Chairman with 1,171 votes. In the election where 1,276 votes were cast, 105 votes were deemed invalid.

ÖZEL'S REMARKS BECOME THE AGENDA

In his speech at the congress, Özgür Özel said, "The nation repelled this coup, but a junta remains before us. Those who planned the coup are standing as a junta imprisoned in the offices of the palace, ministries, and government departments due to the results of the previous election. But the streets, the squares, the will belong to the people, to the nation, and are with us."

Özel used the following expressions:

"That junta is holding our friends captive in prisons today. Today, Turkey is governed by a junta that fears elections, fears its rivals, and fears the nation. Tayyip Erdoğan has not turned into a President who has the support of the people behind him, but into a junta leader who targets those who have the support of the people and those who could be his rivals. Because he no longer has legitimacy. He fears the election, the ballot box, the street, and the nation. It is time to disperse that junta through democratic means. Turkey is greater than a handful of junta members."

SOYLU TARGETS ÖZEL

AKP figures reacted harshly to CHP leader Özgür Özel's characterization at the congress that "a junta is governing Turkey." One of these figures was AKP Istanbul MP Süleyman Soylu.

Soylu targeted Özel with a post on his X account.

Soylu stated, "British Özgür, listen well! While you were making agreements in embassies that entered the state records just two years ago and accepting mandate-seeking, the Great Chief was challenging the whole world on behalf of this nation. Your history is a Western servitude woven with dirty plans, dark collaborations, and bloody coups."

Soylu also wrote, "In our most difficult times, we never bowed before anyone other than our nation. Today, even if the whole world were against us in the face of those who commit theft, we have no one to answer to but God! And you, British Özgür… that sycophancy you display toward England, that humiliating begging; it is a black stain etched into the history of the CHP."