Özgür Özel's statement regarding Mansur Yavaş's possible candidacy

CHP Chairman Özgür Özel answered questions from Güney Öztürk of Sözcü newspaper regarding current events.

When asked, "What strategy will they follow regarding the CHP congress case if a trustee is appointed to the party in September or Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu comes to power?" Özel said the following:

"There will be no negative decision regarding the congress. This is a case focused on the process, not the outcome. It aims to open the CHP to debate. If you notice, I never engage in this debate. Because when it's discussed, it achieves its purpose. The issue isn't that someone will take over the party. The issue is that this possibility should be discussed and the party discussed. A trustee will never be appointed to this party, nor will a nullification be granted. What will happen is this: It will be postponed, and the party will continue to be debated. So, the right thing to do is not to discuss it."

"WE WILL WIN THAT ELECTION"

"Could preparations be underway for a snap election ? By declaring nullity or appointing a trustee..." Özel responded, "If Tayyip Erdoğan dreams of appointing a trustee (nullity) to our party, then disorganizing the party and holding snap elections, I will provide the conditions he demands, as long as he holds early elections. We will win that election," he said.

When asked whether early elections would be possible next November, Özel said, "Let Mr. Tayyip state the conditions he wants, and we are willing to hold early elections under those conditions. They can interfere as much as they want, but we won't interfere. We will have our presidential candidate elected with the highest number of votes. As long as Mr. Tayyip brings the ballot box."

"NO ONE IS SAYING 'SHOULDN'T TRIAL THEM.' THEY SHOULD BE TRIED FAIRLY, TRANSPARENTLY, AND WITHOUT JUDGMENT"

When asked what the rally squares were saying, Özel replied, "Frankly, it says, 'There is no salvation alone; it's either all together or none of us.' This is a very valuable thing. Then it says, 'My brave lion.' In other words, they didn't eat what was forbidden, they didn't take a life. The message of the squares is clear: We don't believe these lies. We won't surrender. We will resist. And we won't be saved alone. These protests will continue until results are achieved. They say, 'If you don't get results!...' Then they will continue until the election."

When asked, "What is the outcome?" Özel said, "The achievement of our friends being tried without being detained is a significant outcome. In other words, if the arrests end and Ekrem İmamoğlu and our mayors return to their jobs... No one is saying, 'They shouldn't be tried.' Let them be tried fairly, transparently, and without being detained. Let them serve, let them do their jobs. Why are you obstructing good service? If our presidential candidate is tried without being detained, he (if he wishes) can call the rallies 'march to power rallies' and continue."

"MANSUR BEY IS AN UNDENIABLE OPTION UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES"

" Mansur Yavaş said, 'Mr. Özgür is shining, he can be there, I can be there. Let one of us do it, whoever does it,'" Özel replied to the question, "Are you considering running for president?"

I believe that nominating myself would hinder a fair election. Because people lose a bit of their objective perspective when they have the possibility of running for office . I've said this before, and I've kept my promise once. We said we would choose the best candidate with the broadest possible participation. On March 23rd, 15.5 million people voted. In other words, Ekrem İmamoğlu is officially Turkey's candidate, not mine or my party's. I don't want to block other options by keeping myself as an option. Sometimes, this doesn't necessarily mean putting another ballot box on the ballot. You conduct a poll, and a winner emerges. You go to the polls with that person, and win. Under these circumstances, Mansur Bey is an undeniable option.

"I, too, want to be the person who wins the War of Independence"

CHP Chairman Özgür Özel made the following assessment when asked whether he wanted anything for himself:

"Being the party chairman who wins the election is the greatest legacy I can leave to the future. I want to be the chairman who sends the AK Party packing and delivers the victory speech on election night. Bülent Ecevit led the party to first place in the two local and two general elections he ran in. I, too, am committed to bringing the party to first place. I said I would resign if I couldn't. I made the party first in the local elections. If I make the party first in the first general election, Tayyip Erdoğan will be gone. This means the end of a 25-year nightmare in Türkiye. There is no greater pride than being the person who achieved this. For example, the greatest pride Atatürk experienced wasn't being the first President of Türkiye, but being the person who saved Türkiye. I want to be the person who 'ordered the Great Offensive, won the War of Independence.' You ask me, 'What do you want for yourself?' What more could I ask for? I want to be the commander who wins the war. The presidency is an honor that will belong to whichever member of our party falls. Therefore, I must be in a position where I can make the calmest and most correct decisions. An objective position.