Özgür Özel sends message from Germany: Received a standing ovation

Republican People's Party (CHP) Chairman Özgür Özel called for democracy, freedom, and international solidarity in his speech at the Social Democratic Party (SPD) congress in Germany.

EVERYONE SAID "FREEDOM FOR İMAMOĞLU"

Delivering his speech in German, Özel received a standing ovation as he entered the hall. Participants showed their support by holding up "Free İmamoğlu" banners together.

Opening his speech with the words, "I am happy to address our comrades for the second time at the congress of our party, the SPD. I greet you with my feelings of love, respect, and solidarity," Özel drew attention to the importance of the developing relations between the CHP and the SPD.

Recalling his first address in December 2023, Özel stated that this bond was institutionalized with the memorandum signed between the two parties on October 30, 2024.

Emphasizing the CHP's success in the local elections, Özel said, "Our party became Turkey's leading party after 47 years in the March 2024 local elections." Özel reminded that they govern municipalities covering 65 percent of Turkey's population and 80 percent of its economic size.

However, stating that this success turned into pressure from the government front, Özel used the expressions, "The government... has increased its pressures and attacks in a multifaceted way. The final stage of these attacks is the March 19 coup targeting our democracy and the will of the people."

Drawing attention to the arrest warrant for Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor and presidential candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu, Özel defined this process as a "coup," saying, "His diploma was canceled on March 18. He was detained on March 19. He was arrested on the day he was designated as a presidential candidate." Özel stated that many mayors, journalists, lawyers, and citizens were arrested in the same manner.

"WE WILL FIGHT TO THE END"

Özel stated that despite all the government's pressures, the public continues its democratic reaction. When Özel said, "We will never give up," a storm of applause broke out. Receiving a standing ovation, Özel expressed the following:

One of the heaviest attacks on democracy in our political history is taking place. However, tens of millions of our citizens are standing up for democracy and their will despite these pressures.

Since March 19, we have held a total of 29 rallies in Istanbul, its districts, and our other provinces. Together with our people, we continue to show our reaction against injustices every Wednesday and every weekend, and we will never give up. We will fight to the end.

Addressing the SPD and social democrats in Europe in his speech, Özel said, "We find the solidarity shown to us by our sister party, the SPD, very valuable. We thank you for this." He emphasized that this solidarity is not only for the CHP but for the struggle for democracy in Turkey.

Making assessments regarding international developments, Özel stated that the conflicts in Gaza, Ukraine, and Syria, as well as the Israel-Iran tension, threaten the region. Calling for a permanent ceasefire and peace, he said, "We hope that interventions contrary to international law will not be repeated again."

Stating that European Union membership is the goal of the CHP, Özel emphasized democracy and the rule of law: "Turkey being democratic will also strengthen the democratic segments of Europe."

Receiving great applause in the hall at the end of his speech, Özel concluded with the words of Bertolt Brecht: "There is no salvation alone. Either all together or none of us." Özel finished his speech with moments where the entire hall gave him a standing ovation.

Özel's speech is as follows:

I am happy to address our comrades for the second time at the congress of our party, the SPD. I greet you with my feelings of love, respect, and solidarity.

I congratulate my dear comrades who were elected as SPD Co-Chairs yesterday.

I addressed you in this same hall in December 2023, one month after our party congress in November 2023 where I was elected Chairman.

I am pleased to have established new and strong relations between my party, the CHP, and the SPD in the time that has passed. The memorandum text we signed on October 30, 2024, is the concrete form of this cooperation. I wish for this cooperation to continue increasingly. In my speech here in December 2023, I mentioned the change in our party, the CHP. The demand for change in our party did not remain in rhetoric. Our party became Turkey's leading party after 47 years in the March 2024 local elections.

Our party received the authority to govern municipalities covering 65% of the population and 80% of the economic size in Turkey's 7 regions.

And in all polls conducted since that day, our party continues to be Turkey's leading party by a wide margin.

While our party was going through such a positive change, unfortunately, no positive developments occurred in the past time, both in Turkey and in our region.

The rise of our party sent the government in our country into a great panic. Since last October, the government has increased its pressures and attacks on both our party and the social opposition in a multifaceted way. The final stage of these attacks is the March 19 coup targeting our democracy and the will of the people.

On March 18, the 31-year-old university diploma of our Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, which is necessary for his presidential candidacy, was canceled. On March 19, in the early hours of the morning, he was detained by hundreds of police officers. And he was arrested on the day he was designated as a presidential candidate with the votes of 15.5 million of our citizens.

Today, apart from Ekrem İmamoğlu, 10 of our mayors, our bureaucrats, journalists, lawyers, civil society representatives, and many citizens who object to the government are in prison.

One of the heaviest attacks on democracy in our political history is taking place. However, tens of millions of our citizens are standing up for democracy and their will despite these pressures.

Since March 19, we have held a total of 29 rallies in Istanbul, its districts, and our other provinces. Together with our people, we continue to show our reaction against injustices every Wednesday and every weekend, and we will never give up. We will fight to the end.

While the political regime in Turkey is becoming even more authoritarian, we find the solidarity shown to us by my brother, our sister party, the SPD, very valuable. We thank you for this. This solidarity is not only for the Republican People's Party, but it is also a democratic solidarity with tens of millions of citizens who stand up for democracy in Turkey in the strongest way.

The solidarity between the world's democratic forces and social democratic parties cannot and should not be less than the solidarity between right-wing populists. Dear comrades, we are hopeful even in these difficult conditions. Because we are both right and strong. We are hopeful. Because democratic forces are on the rise in Turkey now. Our party is leading this. We are hopeful. Because our people are expressing their demand for democracy even more loudly. We are hopeful. Because our youth, workers, retirees, and women are on the streets and resisting despite all the government's intimidation and fear-mongering practices.

Dear comrades, as a party, we aim to be a full member of the European Union. Our goal is for Turkey to be a stable, developed country based on democracy, human rights, and the rule of law, where income is distributed fairly. We see our country as a close friend, partner, ally of Germany, and a part of the European family.

Turkey is a very dynamic country. Significant social and political changes are taking place in our country. The Turkish people, especially the youth, are making their demand for change and democracy heard more loudly. Our party gives hope to our people with its lively and energetic opposition style. The current political government is trying to protect its own existence against the rising dynamic of change in Turkey. Our party, with its renewed leadership, represents the future of Turkey with the youth and for the youth. Dear comrades, the world is going through a process of uncertainty. Democracy is under attack everywhere. Geopolitical tensions are rising. Regional conflicts are increasing. Massacres continue in Gaza. More than 55,000 people have been killed since October 8, 2023. Most of them are women and children. In the north, in Ukraine, bloody conflicts that have cost tens of thousands of lives continue. In the south, instability in Syria continues.

The conflicts that started with Israel's attack on Iran and then reached a different dimension with America's intervention have created a great threat for the entire region. While inviting all parties to act with common sense, we desire an environment of permanent ceasefire, peace, and stability. We hope that interventions contrary to international law will not be repeated again.

Dear comrades, we share Europe's security concerns. It is important for Turkey to strengthen as a democracy and a state of law for Europe to be secure. Because Turkey being democratic will also strengthen the democratic segments of Europe. Preferring refugee bargaining instead of democracy, and short-term economic and security interests instead of democracy in relations with Turkey, is the worst choice that can be made for both sides. The Turkish people have shown many times that they will not give up their demand for democracy. They are showing it again today. In addition to Europe-Turkey relations, if we carry out this struggle for democracy together and in solidarity, we will be even stronger. Finally, I would like to share a sentence by Bertolt Brecht with you. I share this often in Turkey as well. There is no salvation alone. Either all together or none of us. Either all together or none of us. It cannot be all of us alone. There is no salvation alone.