Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu: The CHP may fight within itself, but when it comes to the ballot box, it votes for the CHP again

Kılıçdaroğlu responded to questions directed at him during a live broadcast on tv100.

The headlines regarding the responses given by CHP Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu are as follows:

KILIÇDAROĞLU GAVE THE FOLLOWING RESPONSE TO THE QUESTION 'IS THE CHP DIVIDING?':

The fundamental characteristic of the CHP is that it is one of the parties where these internal debates occur the most. The CHP is a 100-year-old party. There have been separations from time to time. These debates should be considered normal. Debates keep the party vibrant. There is also a culture of dissent. Chairmen always listen to those who dissent until the end.

The current process does not resemble the processes we experienced in the past very much. There have been those who left the party before. In any case, history has shown us that the CHP has been able to maintain its existence. Our party was closed down, its assets were seized, and its chairmen were imprisoned. Turkey's intellectual structure has also debated the CHP the most. These also show, in a sense, the indispensability of the party for Turkey. The current issue, however, is something different. It is a first in Turkey. The CHP is not dividing, no.

WHOEVER DIVIDES THE PARTY IS SERVING ERDOĞAN

Who benefits from the division of the CHP? It benefits Erdoğan. Does the ruling party want the CHP to divide? It does. Does it want the CHP to be strong? It does not. Whoever is dividing or separating the party is serving Erdoğan."

Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu:
Whoever is dividing or separating the party is serving Erdoğanhttps://t.co/3cmNCdYZUA pic.twitter.com/jcYDbNprln

— 12punto (@12puntocomtr) July 13, 2026

I AM NOT THE CHP MEMBER SAYING THIS

I am not the one who filed the absolute nullity lawsuit. I am not the one who gave testimony. It was filed with the allegation that the will of some delegates was purchased. If someone from another party came and said this, let's blame them, but it is CHP members who are saying it. One mayor says I gave money, another says we went and had fun. The one saying this is a CHP member, not me.

WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF KILIÇDAROĞLU HAD NOT ACCEPTED THE ABSOLUTE NULLITY RULING?

I did not come with the absolute nullity ruling as is thought. The court says there was suspicion in the 38th congress and the old administration came as it was. I did not come alone. The old Party Assembly (PM) came, and the court also says a new congress should be held instead of the suspicious congress.

THE PARTY IS OUR PARTY

Before this, Mansur Bey, Vahap Bey, and Engin Bey came and asked me this. Long before the absolute nullity ruling. I said we cannot hand over a 100-year-old party to a trustee. The party is our party, it needs to be cleansed of filth. No one is discussing the suspicions within the party or the money given. They are discussing 'Why did Kılıçdaroğlu accept it?'

WE ARE NOT HERE TO STAY FOREVER 

We came to take the party to a congress again. We are not here to stay forever!

THE OLD ADMINISTRATION CAME WITH A COURT RULING 

There are 2 separate lawsuits. One was decided in the appellate court. The other is the lawsuit regarding those who distributed the money. The old administration came with a court ruling. Those who resigned also received notification from the appellate court. Then some of them resigned. It is their own will, they can do so.

NO CHP MEMBER CAN AVOID BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE 

We argue among ourselves, there is no problem there, but why are we dividing? We need a logical reason. If they say we are dividing to weed out the thieves, that is even more serious.

A CHP deputy must be ready to be held accountable themselves so that they can hold others accountable. No CHP member can avoid being held accountable. We have no account that cannot be given. 

ON WHAT GROUNDS ARE YOU ESTABLISHING A SEPARATE PARTY 

On what grounds are you establishing a separate party? You are both in the party. You are both the group chairman of the party and you say I am working for a separate party. This cannot be. Of course, we talk. But on what grounds has the issue of establishing a party come up? We last spoke with Özgür Bey about a month and a half ago. Our friends are also in contact. There is no need to divide, separate, or polarize the deputies. This party has a culture of dissent. The CHP never insults its Chairmen.

I do not find it appropriate to go into those details. Apart from our one-on-one contact, our deputies are talking, but I do not know if there is direct contact with Özel.

THERE CANNOT BE A PARALLEL STRUCTURE WITHIN THE PARTY

We made the call. There is no need to leave the party. There cannot be a parallel structure within the party. One struggles within the party. They may like me or they may not. The fundamental characteristic of CHP deputies and provincial chairmen is that they make decisions with their own free will. The court's ruling of nullity is because money was involved. No one is talking about this money or corruption. Everyone is talking about the absolute nullity ruling.

Özgür Özel should not leave, if necessary, he should struggle within the party, but there cannot be a parallel structure. I am not saying anything about this for now. I will also warn the friends. Such a thing cannot be.

You go and visit provinces and districts. You ask for votes for yourself. These are normal. But establishing separate structures is not normal. Perhaps the friends did this with a prior acceptance, but I think this will improve as time passes.

A CONFLICT WAS GOING TO BREAK OUT, I WITHDREW 

Who normally holds the group meeting? The Chairman does. A conflict was going to break out, I withdrew, I held it at the center. The sacrifice falls to me here. If he wants to hold a group meeting, Özel can hold it. But it is not in accordance with the law or the bylaws. If he wants, he can hold it again.

HE SPOKE ABOUT THE CONGRESS CALL

The court says you cannot hold a congress with these members. If you hold a congress, it will be canceled again. The court will say you are bringing back the ones I canceled. Why are we afraid of the congress? Let the delegates be convinced, let it be said. The court says a new congress with new delegates.  A call committee was appointed to Istanbul. 45 days passed. Was an election held? It was not, it was extended again. A person knows the law. The court said there was money movement in the 38th congress, hold a new congress. It says do it with new members, with members whose will was not impaired.

DID YOU THINK THERE WOULD BE A REACTION?

IT SHOULD NOT EXCEED THE LEVEL OF RESPECT

A reaction may come, but this reaction should not exceed the level of respect.

"TRAITOR KEMAL" SIGN 

THE MAJORITY WERE MARGINAL GROUPS 

There are those who have been identified. All footage at the General Headquarters was taken. On the day the CHP center was entered, the majority of those inside were not CHP members, they were marginal groups. The matter is in the judiciary, I do not want to go into it much.

THE PARTY'S MORAL SUPERIORITY MUST BE PROTECTED 

The party's moral superiority must be protected. The party's administrators are respected, criticized when necessary, but there is no insult. These names must be weeded out of the party. These names can go and join another party. They can insult and swear there as much as they want. This does not exist in our party.

HOW WILL THE CHP BE CLEANSED?

I am not saying this only for the CHP. I am saying now is the time for cleansing. The political institution must be cleansed of filth. This includes the CHP. Referring deputies to discipline with caution is also the first step of cleansing. We dismissed a provincial chairman, they gave millions of liras for 40 newspapers. They will explain tomorrow, friends. The fake invoice incident... We will cleanse those who do not comply with the party's morality.

MAYORS AND CLEANSING: WILL THEY BE EXPELLED?

They are still in the trial stage. Individuals can be tried. From the very beginning, I have defended that our mayors should be tried without arrest. Being tried is something else. Our mayors can be held accountable. I looked at their files. I read all the indictments. They are not ordinary indictments.

A lawsuit was not filed upon an allegation. The indictments are beyond being ordinary written indictments. This is the prosecutor's indictment. There will also be the lawyer's defense. The disciplinary board in the CHP is separate. The decisions here go to the Party Assembly. For example, the PM did not accept one of those we sent.

The IMM lawsuit is not a political lawsuit. 

WILL İMAMOĞLU BE EXPELLED?

There is an ongoing lawsuit. We will wait for the result of the lawsuit. We do not have such a thought. This also applies to the mayors.

ÇANKAYA MUNICIPALITY OPERATION

I had doubts. Let me not go into detail. Our mayors will go and defend themselves in the judiciary. They will be acquitted and come back, and I will embrace them.

I do not want to comment on this. I would have placed myself in a different place.

How will you express an opinion on a subject you do not know? I am not the Mayor of Çankaya, nor am I an employee there. Such an operation is being carried out. Our mayor will defend himself, he will present his documents.

If you are serving in the municipality, investigations are opened regarding all mayors, complaints, reports, these are normal.

I WILL VISIT DEMİRTAŞ AGAIN WHEN THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY

If I were a deputy, I would say, "Lift my immunity, I will go to court, be acquitted, and come back." Demirtaş had a statement regarding the lifting of immunities at that time:  "Let it be lifted," he said...

In our congress, we have decisions saying, "Let immunities be lifted." At that time, the file regarding the lifting came, immunities were lifted. What was wrong was this: It is not right to arrest a person whose immunity has been lifted. Their immunity is lifted, they can be tried without arrest.

I last met with Demirtaş 1-1.5 years ago. For about half an hour. We talked about Turkey's problems and developments in the region. I will visit Demirtaş again when there is an opportunity. 

KILIÇDAROĞLU, WHO WAS ASKED FOR HIS COMMENT ON HALUK LEVENT BEING TAKEN INTO CUSTODY

Used the expression "I was very surprised."

DID DENİZ GÖKTAŞ SAY "LEAVE THE CHP ALONE"?

When I first heard the incident, I thought we should support this friend of ours. When an investigation was opened against him, he is coming to Istanbul. I was also protested there by Workers' Party members, it is not a problem. Even if he does not think the same as me, I have to protect his rights and law. 

There was no such sentence. He did not say such a thing. Even if he did, I would welcome it with tolerance. I do not find the exploitation of religious feelings correct. People's beliefs should not be a subject of humor. But harsh criticisms can be made about politicians. It is like this everywhere in the world. 

HE SPOKE ABOUT WREATH CRISES

Those who did not take my wreath (Ahmet Telli's funeral) are those who do not like me. The family is unaware of this. This is not right. Not taking the wreath is, first of all, disrespectful. My wreath was not taken inside. His family was very upset. It was said that the person loved and respected me. It is the revenge feeling of those who do not like Kılıçdaroğlu. It is not right.

Those who protest the nullity are not CHP members, they are predominantly Workers' Party of Turkey members. When I went to Istanbul, those there were also them. A CHP member does not do this. A CHP member does not refuse to take the wreath of the CHP Chairman.

WILL KILIÇDAROĞLU DELAY GOING TO THE FIELD?

We assigned tasks to MYK members to check whether the newly appointed provincial chairmen are performing their duties or not. They will make their visits within the coming week. We will also have our provincial tours and tradesmen tours. The CHP fights and argues within itself, but when it comes to the ballot box, it goes and votes for the CHP again. Let's be realistic. 

WAS A POLL CONDUCTED AFTER THE NULLITY?

I did not have a poll conducted. The new party allegations and the discussed vote rates are also not true. But no one has the luxury of leaving the party.

A real CHP member protects their party's identity and says, I am a CHP member. Everyone needs to respect and protect this party. The base needs to stay away from the debates above. 

TURKEY'S FOUNDING PARTY SIGN

The CHP is Turkey's founding party, that is why we changed the sign. You are a party that directs Turkey, shapes domestic policy, and foreign policy. This is a very privileged thing.

DID HE HAVE A MEETING WITH YAVAŞ AFTER THE NULLITY?

The party's policy is determined by the party's congress. The Party Assembly, MYK, and the Chairman determine it afterwards. The TBMM group cannot determine the party's policy. They voice the party policy in the TBMM and on the street. Mayors, on the other hand, put the policy determined by the party into practice in their areas. Mayors cannot determine party policy. The party determines who will be elected and who will not. I met with Mayor Mansur, Vahap Bey, and Zeydan Bey face to face. There is no problem in meeting, you meet. If they are CHP mayors, they will all stand by the CHP. The CHP has a culture. Everyone will know this culture.

MANSUR YAVAŞ EXPRESSED A SIMILAR CONCERN

Mayor Mansur is hardworking. He is also ready to be held accountable anytime, anywhere. I will not go into the details of our face-to-face meeting. 

İMAMOĞLU'S PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDACY 

There is nothing as absurd as opening the presidential candidacy debate. We have been debating this for years. Does the country have no other problem? It will be determined when the time comes. From the very beginning, I never said I am a candidate at the right time.

CONGRESS DEBATES

There is no power that will prevent the CHP from entering the elections. I am saying this to those who say if there is no congress by a certain date, they cannot enter the election. There is already a precautionary decision. There is also a precautionary decision in Istanbul. We are making our preliminary preparations. If Özgür Bey and his friends withdraw their decisions at the Court of Cassation, the decision will already be finalized.

HOW LONG WILL THE CONGRESS TAKE TO COMPLETE? 

It starts from the neighborhoods and is done, it is completed in the shortest time.

WILL HE BE A CANDIDATE IN THE CONGRESS?

I will bring the party to a safe harbor, as a captain... Everyone who is a candidate in the congress will be a candidate freely. Let me not say anything about my congress candidacy for now. We will look at that. I was never a candidate, I did not submit a candidacy petition. If I am nominated, I will think about it.

HOW DID YOU FINANCE YOUR OFFICE? 

On the day I was elected deputy, I put my assets on my site. In my 27 and a half years of bureaucratic life, I did not face the slightest suspicion. I am the person who has been investigated the most. I never hesitated, I gave an account of it everywhere. I defended myself, I put my documents out. I am a retired deputy. The headquarters covered the food of the bodyguards. They gave the cars, I thanked them. 

After a while, the Headquarters cut the food of the bodyguards and the cars. I am sharing this with you for the first time. The bodyguards are not mine, they are the state's bodyguards. Why are you cutting their food? We made an agreement with the restaurant across the street, we paid with the invoices that came. A business person paid for the police's food. Another one, my friends had a vehicle, they allocated it. I have no expenses. I have a house, I do not live in a rented house. My children already have their own income. Not just me, all chairmen have offices. An office is not a place where a lot of money is given. 

CRITICISM OF ERDAL BEŞİKÇİOĞLU REMAINING NEUTRAL

Beşikçioğlu gave a very beautiful answer that an artist would give. Mayors should not be 'this or that'. Mayors are affiliated with the party. They do not have the priority of choosing the party's chairman and making a preference towards him. This casts a shadow on the party. The mayor says 'my duty is to realize the goals envisioned by the CHP'.

WILL THERE BE A PATH TO EXPULSION AGAINST 73 PROVINCIAL CHAIRMEN BEING AGAINST YOU?

No. Such a thing will not happen. They were going to come to the General Headquarters and submit a petition for the congress. Welcome the friends, put a podium in the garden, whoever is going to make a speech, let them make it, I said. We did not say how can you come here, how can you give a petition. We are the CHP, everyone can criticize us. We are not people isolated from criticism, we should learn lessons from criticism. 

WARNING ÖZGÜR ÖZEL REGARDING 4 MAYORS

There are reports in the party's archive regarding them. I will not say anything extra. I told them not to show them as mayors, but it did not happen, he nominated them. A mayor strives for the interests of the public. If you are making decisions for the interests of certain people, it will not work.

We talked about other issues with Özgür Özel, but it would not be right for me to tell. Only I and Özgür Özel needed to know this, and it happened that way. I handed over my duty with very good intentions and I wanted him to see the shortcomings I saw. I wanted him to see which mayors I had concerns about. We were not going to nominate those names in the next election. As for why these names were nominated, I do not know, Özgür Bey knows the answer.

THE NARRATIVE OF "HE ENTERED 13 ELECTIONS AND LOST ALL OF THEM"

There were not 13 elections, 2 of them were already referendums. Did we lose Antalya, Ankara, Mersin, Adana? We won these. Our votes increased even if we lost. We were at 20 percent, our party's votes reached up to 38. And sometimes we cooperated. We gave Balıkesir and Denizli to the IYI Party. For the first time, we elected deputies from the east in most places. They still call us unsuccessful. The measure of success is, of course, to be in power. The CHP is the party that directs governments. For the first time in its history, it has become a party that establishes relationships with all segments of society. It also went to the religious segment, it also went to other segments. For this reason, we achieved great success from many municipalities. CHP municipalities successfully fulfilled what we said.

EXPLANATION OF THE CONCEPT OF "STRATEGIC AUTONOMY" 

I used this term for the first time. Because the CHP defends this. Turkey cannot be a subcontractor of a sovereign power. Turkey is an independent country. This geography is an important geography and it has to be a dominant power. I said Ottoman geography and all hell broke loose. We have a unity of destiny, historical unity, and cultural unity with the Ottoman geography... In the 21st century, we now have to trade with these countries, we have to make agreements. What we mean by Republican autonomy is that we establish connections with both Russia and China. We do not become a subcontractor of a country, but we establish connections with all of them. If we were subcontractors of sovereign powers, then it would be something different. This philosophy of independence of ours also comes from Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. Atatürk always acted for Turkey's independence. Today, our defense industry is also doing very beautiful things. I am completely proud, I kiss the eyes of everyone who contributed.

News Source: 12punto