Presidential candidate process begins in CHP: Primaries and member participation will be decisive

After CHP Chairman Özgür Özel stated at his party's group meeting that they have begun a new process that will culminate in the determination of a presidential candidate, and called on citizens to become party members to help select the candidate, the relevant deputy chairmanships have begun working on a directive regarding "how the presidential candidate can be determined through a primary election under the supervision of the organization."

BANS APPLIED TO POLITICIANS

Holding a series of meetings chaired by Chairman Özgür Özel in light of the arrest of Esenyurt Mayor Ahmet Özer and the appointment of a trustee to the municipality, the arrest of Beşiktaş Mayor Rıza Akpolat, the detention of CHP Youth Branches Chairman Cem Aydın, and the investigations opened against Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu along with the pending political ban decision at the appellate court, the CHP has decided to launch a new process to determine the party's presidential candidate with the participation of its 1 million 600 thousand members.

While Union of Municipalities of Türkiye (TBB) and Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and Ankara Metropolitan Municipality (ABB) Mayor Mansur Yavaş are considered the prominent names for candidacy, discussions have also begun on the conditions and methods for these elections.

HE SAID "WE ARE STARTING"

CHP Chairman Özgür Özel announced in his speech on Tuesday, themed "We are starting," that his party has entered a new process, the final step of which is to determine the presidential candidate, and invited citizens to become CHP members to help select the candidate.

Özel stated that those who become members after the calendar is clearly announced will not be able to vote in the election. According to information obtained following this call by Özel, 3 thousand new members joined the party within two hours.

Evaluating the participation, party officials stated, "Our membership numbers have started to increase. We already want participation to increase. The wider the base it spreads to, the more valuable it is for us. Our Chairman made a call from the podium regarding this, our Youth Branches have already been continuing their work for a long time, our organizations will make a call on this matter, and our corporate communications unit may make calls with visuals. We want the party's membership count to increase. We want more people to come, vote, have their say, and then walk behind the candidate they choose. After all, the ballot box is the foundation of democracy."

CHP PREPARING PRIMARY ELECTION DIRECTIVE

According to information obtained, on the evening the group meeting speech was delivered, the relevant CHP deputy chairmanships began working on a directive regarding "how the presidential candidate can be determined through a primary election under the supervision of the organization." It was learned that after the preparation of the directive, a calendar would be created, and then a period would be set for those who will vote to determine the candidate to become party members. Stating that the rules of the primary must be determined before scheduling, party officials said, "For a primary election to be held under the supervision of the organization, the minimum time—no matter how much you shorten it—will take a month. We need to conduct it with the same transparency and openness that the country's election legislation normally applies. Election boards like the YSK will be formed at the district level like district election boards, at the provincial level like provincial election boards, and at the headquarters level. People will be granted the right to object. Ballots, tallies, everything will be prepared. This is how we will enter this election. We want to conduct a correct election in all its nakedness without creating any suspicion in anyone's mind and once again demonstrate a reality and transparency as the CHP in the history of democracy," they said.

NOT EVERYONE WILL BE A CANDIDATE

According to information obtained from party officials, not everyone who wishes will be able to participate in the primary election to be held to determine the candidate.

The officials stated, "The CHP's presidential candidate should not be a platform where anyone can apply and become a candidate. Certain thresholds can be introduced. A proposal or signature from a certain number of members, party congress delegates, provincial chairs, or members of parliament may be required." Conveying that the details of the candidate determination process will be discussed at the Central Executive Board (MYK) meeting, the officials said, "The process is very fresh. At the final point, the Party Assembly (PM) will meet and take a final decision. Of course, by law, the parliamentary group proposes the presidential candidate, but that will happen after the calendar is announced. There is a process here that addresses the deep trauma caused in society by the 2023 elections, where the presidential candidate was determined later, and where they gathered around a table and then fell apart. We see the will of the vast majority of our organization and our boards in this direction."

News Source: 12punto