Örsan Öymen also withdraws from candidacy in CHP! "The convention took place in an anti-democratic environment"

The highly anticipated 38th Ordinary Convention of the CHP began at 10:00.

1,367 convention delegates from 81 provinces will elect the new chair and the new party management in the 100th year of the Republic and the party. The election for the chair will be held on the first day of the convention, and the members of the Party Assembly and the High Disciplinary Board will be determined on the second day.

At the convention, after Ekrem İmamoğlu, who was elected as the Chair of the Council, and the incumbent Chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, the candidate of the change-makers, Örsan Öymen, took the podium.

Minutes after his speech on the podium, Öymen announced his withdrawal from candidacy with a statement on his X account.

"ANNOUNCEMENT TO THE PUBLIC

The CHP 38th Ordinary Convention process has unfortunately taken place in an anti-democratic environment due to practices such as media embargoes, a monopoly on candidacy signatures, and pressure on delegates. The convention has been turned into a "race" between those who are part of or an extension of the broken system in the party. For this reason, I have decided to withdraw from my candidacy for the CHP Chairmanship. In this convention, whoever wins, the loser has unfortunately been the CHP and Turkey."

+dönüştürülmüştür. Bu nedenle CHP Genel Başkan Aday Adaylığı’ndan çekilmeye karar verdim. Bu Kurultay’da, kim kazanırsa kazansın, kaybeden ne yazık ki CHP ve Türkiye olmuştur.

— Örsan Öymen (@orsanoymen1965) November 4, 2023

HE HAD REACTED TO KILIÇDAROĞLU IN HIS SPEECH AT THE CONVENTION

Örsan Öymen had said the following in his speech at the convention;

"We cannot declare the 2019 elections a victory. We gifted 39 parliamentary seats to parties whose votes do not exceed 2-3 percent. Can such a thing happen?

Was the esteemed Chair stabbed in the back in all 13 elections? All elections entered were lost; how can sitting in the chair of the presidency be explained despite this?

The Chair thinks the left is about charity. The left is about changing the system. The AKP is establishing a religious state, and we cannot stand against it"

İLHAN CİHANER HAD ALSO WITHDRAWN

CHP Chair candidate İlhan Cihaner had also announced that he was withdrawing from candidacy minutes before the convention.

"I HAVE NO SUPPORT FOR ANYONE"

Speaking to Sözcü TV, Cihaner said he would not support anyone at the convention. Cihaner said, "The friends who prefer us will make their own decisions."

HE HAD MADE A STATEMENT ON HIS SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNT

Cihaner had made a statement on his social media account after withdrawing from candidacy.

Cihaner's statement is as follows:

"To the public and the 38th Convention delegates, to the valuable members of the CHP;

Our 38th Convention, where the past accounting of our party should be made, the path to the future and power should be discussed, and the political direction should be determined, has unfortunately been condemned to a deadlock where those who brought the party to this point have split in two, and a progressive transformation and reconstruction have been stifled. Instead of discussing political approaches and determining competent staff, an ugly environment has been created where municipal resources are pitted against each other. On the other hand, by creating a perception of power through intense media manipulation, the convention process has been turned into a "non-political" psychological war where only two people are competing. Signature announcements reminiscent of "Fatherland Front" participations have been turned into pressure, and the democratic representation of other candidates has been prevented. So much so that rumors of "signature support will be given to other candidates" have been spread, making the support of our delegates who support us suspicious.

WE REFUSE TO BE PART OF THIS ANTI-DEMOCRATIC, NON-POLITICAL, AND PERSONALIZED RACE!

We offer our respect and gratitude to all our comrades who gave us their signatures and support. Our path is long and arduous. We keep our hope alive that our Convention Delegates, most of whom come from great struggles, will choose the most correct path despite all these anti-democratic conditions.

Long live the Republican People's Party, Long live the Republic! Us for the Future"

News Source: 12punto