Özgür Özel gives a figure: 82 percent of voters who support the AKP are unhappy with the system

CHP leader Özel was welcomed with flowers by İzmir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Cemil Tugay, CHP İzmir Provincial Chairman Şenol Aslanoğlu, and district mayors.

During the welcome, a disabled teacher waiting for an appointment requested help from Özel.

In response to the teacher, the CHP leader said, "Thanks to us, 5 thousand disabled teachers were appointed last year." The meeting at the provincial headquarters was held behind closed doors.

Özel later paid a congratulatory visit to İzmir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Dr. Cemil Tugay at the İzmir Art Presidential Working Office in Kültürpark. Making statements to members of the press there, Özel said, "In these elections, İzmir achieved a success where 29 of the 31 mayors we nominated were elected. Before the election, the Justice and Development Party attached a very high level of importance to this place for itself.

They carried out a campaign here with a very large response. They tried to create a perception. Starting with the special attention they paid to highly followed social media accounts in İzmir, they allocated an unprecedented campaign budget. They brought a campaign to İzmir that was almost more expensive than the Istanbul campaign. We had neither the means nor the intention to compete with the financial power of their campaign.

Because our campaign's moral team is very strong. Our campaign carried the responsibility of being the flagship of the Republican People's Party and the standard-bearer of the Republic. The people of İzmir did not allow İzmir, the Republican People's Party, or the Republic to be debated here," he said.

CRITICISM OF MENEMEN MUNICIPALITY

Stating that they nominated 9 women in İzmir in the last local election, where 6 women from all parties had served as mayors throughout history, Özel said, "The people of İzmir showed favor to 8 of them and re-elected them. On the other hand, we nominated 12 young candidates. The people of İzmir elected 11 of them.

Our friend who could not be elected came from 16 points behind. They will definitely reach their goal in the future. Facing our female friend was not just a mayor, but a trustee who used state power, and all the assets of Menemen were spent with an election-focused budget.

However, I hope that from now on, in about a year, we will announce the next mayor of Menemen and start working. We will get the record vote of the next elections in Menemen. The goal in İzmir in the next elections is 31 out of 31. It is to win 30 municipalities and the metropolitan city," he stated.

"WE ARE ENGAGING IN SELF-CRITICISM"

Stating that they are also engaging in self-criticism within themselves in İzmir, the CHP leader said, "Because we are talking about the vote rate obtained in İzmir in a place where 60 percent of the votes were obtained in Manisa. Of course, with the right strategy, we won almost all the municipalities. It is not about talking about a failure, but we will strive for İzmir to reach figures far beyond these numbers. Let us also see the fact that 2 parties, which had over 10 percent of the vote in the last election, did not nominate candidates, and this term they had candidates in İzmir. Let us see the harsh and ruthless campaigns conducted against the Republican People's Party.

The authority from now on is with Cemil Tugay, the authority is with our other 28 mayors. İzmir's high expectations must be met in the best possible way. The key in Mayor Cemil's pocket is not the golden key to the city of İzmir. It is not the key to the door or the safe of the metropolitan municipality. That key is the key to the Atatürk's party coming to power in the general elections to be held at the latest 4 years later, as a result of good, correct, and transparent management," he emphasized.

Stating that the two structures named SODEM and SODEMSEN were positioned very correctly, Özel stated that they carry out the cooperation, synergy, coordination, training, and supervision of social democratic municipalities from there, that very important structures are involved, and that the best in Turkey in their fields are within the structure.

PRAISE FOR GERMANY

Praising the economic, educational, and socio-cultural tradition in Germany, Özel said, "Unfortunately, Turkey has a bad education system.

There is an incredible imbalance in exports and imports between Germany and Turkey. While we generally export very simple products that they do not think of producing to them, we import high-level technology from them.

The Germans produce the world's four most well-known car companies, and they themselves ride in modest minibuses. Because there is democracy in Germany. Leaders are modest, the public is rich. On this side, leaders do not save on prestige, the public is poor. They have education systems on which a national consensus has been reached. There is a national consensus on the education system," he stated.

CRITICIZED THE EDUCATION SYSTEM

CHP Chairman Özgür Özel criticized the education system by saying, "Ours are managed by an understanding that says 'give your opinion within seven days; when asked if seven days is enough, they say 'I gave a fifty percent raise, let it be 10 days'. Those who bring coffins to the classrooms of 7-year-old children, those who shroud one of their friends and make the children cry at their head, and those who bring the Kaaba and say 'we are teaching circumambulation' are actually misguiding those children in terms of learning Islam and getting to know Islam."

"THE SITUATION THAT AK PARTY MEMBERS ARE LEAST SATISFIED WITH IS THE EDUCATION SYSTEM"

Continuing his criticism of the education system in his statement, Özel said, "According to what very reliable polling companies have reported, the situation that AK Party voters, AK Party women are least satisfied with is the National Education policies. Satisfaction is 18 percent. Even 82 percent of voters who support the AK Party are unhappy with this education system. I would like to say from İzmir that, unfortunately, access to scientific, contemporary, and quality education in Turkey is now a class problem.

Those who cannot send their children to private schools and those who do not have the competence to win schools that are trying to maintain their own tradition and are struggling, which can be counted on the fingers of two hands, are unfortunately far from reaching scientific, contemporary education and good education.

There are very important steps that need to be taken on this issue. From now on, we will always bring forward our sensitivity, harsh criticisms, constructive guidance, and suggestions for the future regarding education. Apart from this, of course, as the Republican People's Party, the very good result we achieved on March 31, being the first party after 47 years, is a victory; it is a political success. But we see it more as a duty, as a responsibility, rather than a victory. That is why we will carry out very important tasks without marginalizing anyone, without pushing anyone away," he said.

"WE ARE FAIR, WE ARE SHARING"

Making a statement about the Union of Municipalities of Turkey elections, Özgür Özel said, "In a moment, our Mayor, in addition to his intense duties, has also accepted the presidency of the Healthy Cities Association as a physician. We will also go to the Aegean Union of Municipalities with him. The Union of Municipalities of Turkey elections, the Historical Cities Association elections held in Istanbul today, the Aegean Union of Municipalities elections, all are very important examples showing the management approach of the Republican People's Party.

In the past, while the AK Party was providing a majority with the MHP and taking the entire administration, we said let us provide the majority by ourselves and let us take half and the rest take the other half. We said let us take less than our share. We offered duties to the AK Party, MHP, DEM, IYI Party, Yeniden Refah Party, and the Great Unity Party, to 7 parties. The Yeniden Refah accepted this duty, the IYI Party accepted it, the DEM Party accepted it.

The People's Alliance, on the other hand, fielded a candidate against us. Of course, Yeniden Refah is not in the People's Alliance either, they took our side. It is unknown what will happen in the process from now on. But our embracing attitude was adopted by a part of the People's Alliance, and we offered 4 seats to the AK Party, which did not give us a seat. We offered seats to the MHP. We said let us manage together. They fielded their own candidates, they lost. They opened an internal party investigation because AKP members voted for us. Because we are fair, we are sharing," he included.

"WE DO NOT FIND IT RIGHT FOR ONE PARTY TO DO EVERYTHING"

Continuing his words, Özel said, "Against those who used to use 98.5 liras of a 100-lira budget for the People's Alliance and 1.5 liras to shine a light on opposition municipalities to see if they would come to the People's Alliance, we will use as much economic resources as our power in the economy allows. We will share the rest with our other friends, our mayors. Because we do not find it democratic to get 50 percent plus 1 and use 100 percent authority. We do not find it right for one person to decide everything, for one party to do everything," he expressed.

Thanking the mayors and the team they will work with in the Aegean Region, İzmir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Cemil Tugay also said, "We have started a beautiful period in İzmir with a new generation municipalism approach. We are experiencing a period where we have been carrying innovative practices for 2 months. It is an honor for us to be a member of this beautiful team."

After the speeches, the meeting continued behind closed doors. Later, CHP Chairman Özel visited the Aegean Union of Municipalities to congratulate the provincial board members, provincial disciplinary board members, district mayors, and metropolitan municipal council members.

News Source: İHA