Özgür Özel's 'Palestine' call to Erdoğan

The CHP Youth Branch Provincial Presidents meeting was held at a hotel in the city. The meeting was attended by CHP Chairman Özgür Özel, Youth Branch Chairman Genç Osman Killik, İzmir Metropolitan Mayor Tunç Soyer, CHP mayors in Manisa, and youth branch presidents from 81 provinces. 

CHP Chairman Özgür Özel said in his speech that he was very happy to host the youth in his hometown.

"THERE IS A PEOPLE WHO ARE STRUGGLING"

Özgür Özel made the following statements: 

"Youth means labor and hope; youth means being open to new ideas. Our most important duty from now on is to uphold Atatürk's legacy. Those who targeted 2023 may have reached their own goals, but the national income target was 25 thousand dollars, and it remained at 10 thousand 600 dollars. They could not even meet half of the export target. We are at half of the 2023 target in economic size, half in employment, and many times ahead in inflation. But for all goals to be met, this country must be governed by a democracy, not by a one-man mentality that also dragged the Ottoman Empire into disasters.

In this country, there must be a separation of powers, the rule of law, and a strong parliament. When Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk pointed to the west, he did not indicate a direction; he showed development, science, and law. Where he pointed, there is an income of 45 thousand dollars in the European Union today. We have 10 thousand dollars, but where the person who turned the ship's route from west to east, contrary to the first captain, and says they want to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organization points, there is an income of 4 thousand 500 dollars. 

On one side, there is 45 thousand dollars; on the other, 4 thousand 500 dollars. Turkey will decide in the coming days whether it will vote for the CHP and join the European Union, or surrender to Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's dreams and struggle in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization with 4 thousand 500 dollars. Here, there is a modest administration and a wealthy people; on that side, there are huge palaces, the most expensive official cars, authoritarian leaders who do not save on prestige, but a struggling people. We remind our citizens that this is the issue they should think about the most."

"I GAVE MY WORD AT THE PARTY ASSEMBLY"

Explaining that he trusts the youth by giving examples of young leaders in Turkey's political history, Özel said:

"We cannot see the Youth Branches as a youth branch that will hang flags, hang posters, distribute leaflets, and applaud. The Youth Branches are the ones who will establish and manage your power in the second century of the Republic. Our young friends must be on the lists. If the CHP youth branch chairman is elected to that position, if they are a natural member of the Party Assembly (PM) and the Central Executive Board (MYK), and if they are deemed worthy of contributing to the party's management every week in that hall; we will deem them worthy of the top of the list in their province. If you, as District Youth Branch Presidents, work and set the criteria; from the Provincial Youth Branch Presidents, at our Grand Congress that we will hold between September 4 and September 9, we will start in Sivas and continue in Ankara… 

We will write it into the charter; we will write the five most successful district presidents and five youth branch provincial presidents into the charter, without putting them through a primary election, because they did their job well, because they succeeded, and we will put them at the top of the list. If you are ready to make such a preparation, you are ready to govern Turkey as well. I gave my word at the Party Assembly; the average age of the PM is 43. I said there will be equal representation of women and men; 9 women, 9 men; all of them are MYK members. Tayyip Erdoğan put one woman in 18. He says your place is the family, he says women only understand that job. He says the rest is men's work, don't interfere with your 'dough-covered hands.' In our government, half of the ministers will be women and half will be men. That is how the PM changed, the MYK changed. We will all dedicate ourselves to changing the CHP and Turkey. If we succeed, Turkey will succeed. If those in this hall succeed, we will succeed together."

“THIS COUNTRY HAS A SURVIVAL PROBLEM”

CHP leader Özel stated that Turkey has a survival problem and said:

"The country has the most important problem. I agree that there is a major survival problem; like Mr. Bahçeli, like Mr. Erdoğan… That problem is, this country is the most beautiful country in the world, the whole world is making calculations and dreaming about this country. If you look at them, that is the problem. They might come tomorrow, they might occupy it. That side is easy; just as we did not allow it 100 years ago, we will not allow anyone to reach their ambitions even if the whole world dreams about it. But while the whole world is dreaming about this beautiful country, the youth of this country are dreaming in other countries of the world. 75 percent of the youth in Turkey have packed their bags in their minds; it is a matter of time before they pack them in reality."

MESSAGE TO ERDOĞAN

Addressing President and AKP Chairman Erdoğan, Özel continued his words:

"Hey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the survival problem of this country is not the world dreaming here. It is the youth of this country dreaming abroad because of you. There is a great hopelessness and a great disappointment in Turkey. The duty of this hall is to organize all the youth with the organized youth in the CHP and show that salvation is possible, that the re-establishment of democracy is possible; that it is not a country where concerts and festivals are canceled, but a country where all freedoms can be experienced, that we will attain a real democratic Republic where no one's lifestyle will be interfered with, that the resources of this country will be enough for all of us, and that we must all believe in this country together so that this country becomes a truly livable country for us; you need to explain this to them, and we need to convince them all together."

"IF YOU HAVE THE COURAGE, I AM READY"

Stating that the Palestine issue is being used as material for domestic politics, Özgür Özel also called out to MHP Chairman Devlet Bahçeli and Erdoğan, saying: 

"Today, Tayyip Erdoğan still accuses us of speaking with Netanyahu's tongue. He sees that we come from the Yaser Arafat-Ecevit line on the Palestine issue, as they see the issue as a convenient area for domestic politics, but he tries to ignore it. Tayyip Erdoğan. The Palestine issue; while you were sleeping on the job, it was the CHP's issue, it was the issue of revolutionary youth, and it is still our issue. I made a call to him: If you have the courage, I am ready. My suitcase is ready. I am already waiting for permission; I will go to Gaza. Come, call Devlet Bahçeli, call the chairmen of all parties; let us all go to the Rafah Border Gate together and explain the Palestine issue to the whole world."

"DESPITE OUR WISHES, THERE WILL NOT BE MANY YOUTH AND WOMEN ON THE LISTS"

In the continuation of his statement, CHP Chairman Özel pointed out that there are not many women and young people on the lists created for the local elections and continued his words as follows: 

"We are heading to local elections. First of all, we announced 226 candidates. All of them were the only candidates in their regions. None of the mayors who have not been announced yet should think, 'is my situation at risk?' Because we did not announce candidates in places where there was more than one candidate. We did not announce them in places where we hold the municipality and where we conducted satisfaction surveys. They will be announced gradually in the coming period. We announced four metropolitan cities. 

When we announce a mayor, for example, we are announcing the Ahmet İsvans who established the People's Bread (Halk Ekmek), we are announcing the Osman Özgüvens who gave the first 10 tons of water for free, we are announcing those who built Turkey's first metro, those who introduced Turkey to social municipalism. Of course, despite our strong desire, there will not be as many young people and women on these lists as we would like. It is not happening because of a learned helplessness, a glass ceiling… We are walking with the candidates who are closest to winning, who can win. But if there are women here, if there are young people here, we prefer them… A quota for women and youth will be applied in the Municipal Council lists. No one comes to this seat to enjoy themselves. 

There is no 'enjoyment' among the arrows of the CHP. There is revolutionism; just as Atatürk had the courage, we will have the courage. Whatever this costs, let it cost. This work we are doing; the things that rejuvenate, that open space for women, no matter what it costs, whoever gets offended, whoever stands against us; we will do this work in accordance with the procedure, as it should be, in accordance with the values of the CHP, in the way it should be in a social democratic party. We do not need lists with women appointed by powerful men; we need lists where powerful women and young people have come through their own merit, and we will make such lists."