Özgür Özel's 'glass ceiling' statement: He explains the '3 keys' behind the local election success

CHP Chairman Özgür Özel spoke at the 'Local Governments Workshop' organized by his party. 

Highlights from Özel's speech:

"WE SHATTERED THE GLASS CEILING"

"I am proud to be able to fill this hall to the brim on such a day with elected mayors and provincial chairs in a 650-person hall, and that every single person sitting in these seats is a CHP member elected with the certificates of mandate they received from district and provincial election boards. There were days when this party remained below the threshold, days when provincial chairs had to carry the wreaths themselves, but those who have carried this flag entrusted by Atatürk in 81 provinces to this day without letting it fall, and thanks to them, the 'father's house' is a place where everyone is born and raised, where everyone in trouble knows their soup is boiling and their chimney is smoking, and knows that if they ever need it, the door will be opened. The title deed to this father's house is registered to one person, and that is Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.

Nationalist democrats have a share in this election. Conservative democrats have a share in this election. All Kurdish democrats have a contribution to this election. The Turkey alliance has won the elections; Turkey has won. Greetings to the mayors of the Turkey alliance. With these results, we have shattered the 25 percent glass ceiling above us.

"THE 3 KEYS LEFT BY ATATÜRK"

Together with a very young team and a very experienced team, we started to think about how to open the door that had not been opened since the 80 coup. We said that the key to the door opened in the past must be somewhere. We took the 3 keys left behind by Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. The first key was who Mustafa Kemal Atatürk entrusted the Republic to. Atatürk had entrusted the Republic to the youth. By saying youth, by saying rejuvenation, by saying more young candidates, we inserted the first key, and it turned. The second key... The Republic had risen with women as equal citizens, equal representation, and trust in women. We opened the second lock with many more women. The third lock... Again, Atatürk knew very well why this country had been invaded. While Fatih Sultan Mehmet was opening and closing eras, he was bringing in the world's best engineers and casting the world's most advanced cannons. Hezarfen Çelebi, Mimar Sinan... The right direction for this country was not west as a direction, but because science was there, because they embraced science there at the time, he turned his face to science. We discussed and implemented the decision to manage this process just as the best-managed political parties in the contemporary world are managed. All data was produced, shared, and everything was directed through weekly revisions with measurement and evaluation. We all won at once by embracing science and listening to what science said, and acting accordingly. Therefore, the third key was scientific methods."

CHP MUNICIPALITIES WILL BE EVALUATED

We will prepare the 3-month, 6-month, and 1-year report cards of the municipalities using the measurement-evaluation method and share them with you. If the needle is pointing up, we will continue; if it is stagnant, we will look at what we can do; if it is pointing down, we will turn back from our mistakes.

One person calls CHP's success 'coincidental, cyclical,' another is arrogant enough to say 'we won the elections.'

MEETING WITH ERDOĞAN

We are in a new era. I started during the holiday by exchanging holiday greetings with AKP Chairman and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and with all political party leaders. I will hold a face-to-face meeting with Mr. Erdoğan. We provide local government services to 85 percent of Turkey's economy. Turkey is in a difficult process economically. And there is a risk that the economic crisis will turn into a social crisis. Conflict and fighting cause the nation to lose. Not making available the ready funds found from abroad causes our nation to lose. The nation does not forgive such mistakes; if we succumb to arrogance, it will hold us accountable, and whoever succumbs to arrogance, it will hold them accountable. We made a courtesy call, and now we will go for a working visit. Together with the work of our party assembly, our Central Executive Board (MYK), and our party group, we will hold a face-to-face meeting out of courtesy, based on the demands you will create by working. I believe that we will make progress, that we can take steps to break the polarization in society, and that we can make headway together. As CHP, we have strong muscles. We are the main opposition party in this country for now. But after leaving these lands, I told the President of Cyprus, I wrote to Mr. Aliyev, I explained it in Europe, I told the German Chancellor, and I will tell the German President; we are the main opposition party in this country, but when we go abroad, we are Turkey's party."