Mustafa Bildircin
CHP leader Özgür Özel visited the LEFT Party. The CHP delegation included Özgür Özel as well as Deputy Chairs Gül Çiftci, Gamze Taşcıer, and Yalçın Karatepe. Representing the LEFT Party at the meeting were party spokespersons Önder İşleyen, İsmail Haklı Tombul, Gizem Özdem, and İlknur Başer.
During the meeting, the LEFT Party delegation presented the CHP representatives with two publications: the book Kırlardan Gelecekler, published by SOL Kültür Yayınları and focusing on Turkey’s agricultural policies, and Bir Yol Var, a magazine featuring selected articles from Yol Dergisi.
The meeting began at 14:30 and lasted for one hour at the LEFT Party Headquarters, after which both delegations addressed the press.
ÖZGÜR ÖZEL: THE OPPOSITION IS UNITED AND TOGETHER
CHP Chair Özgür Özel thanked the LEFT Party for their solidarity in the wake of the March 19 coup attempt. He emphasised that the rallies demanding freedom for İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and early elections were not exclusive to CHP, stating: „Today, different parties are united as the opposition in demanding democracy and justice. We are facing a coup. They’re staging a coup against the local election ballot box, imprisoning the strongest opposing candidate. They were so determined that they might have even cancelled the election altogether.
The people stood by their will. We place great importance on defending democracy by keeping the opposition united and together. In a democracy, elections happen, the loser steps aside, and the winner governs. Those who stray from democracy drag the country into disaster. The most crucial point we agreed upon in this process is the heartfelt contribution of university youth.“
ÖNDER İŞLEYEN: WE WILL SUSTAIN SOLIDARITY
SOL Parti Spokesperson Önder İşleyen remarked that even the earthquake in İstanbul on 23 April demonstrated the necessity of a regime change in Turkey. He said: „Getting rid of this one-man regime is our top priority. This is the fundamental point of unity and joint action. We are determined to expand our unity, solidarity, and struggle.“
Highlighting that the government is dragging Turkey into fascism, İşleyen continued: „The March 19 coup was a ploy to lead Turkey into elections just like Kenan Evren once did. We resisted it together. İmamoğlu’s detention meant the elimination of the most significant rival. Protests against unlawful acts have turned into a struggle by young people whose future is being stolen. A strong resistance has been mounted against those who want to turn this country into one without elections. This political and national resistance has foiled the plans of those who have nothing but chairs and batons.
We will continue this struggle by organising it together in all our diversity. We will continue to strengthen solidarity. What matters are not the parties’ interests, but the country’s. A door of great hope and brightness has opened. Today’s rulers have turned into a zombie government. Against the AKP, a US brand, Turkey will rebuild a country where everyone is equal.“
Note: This text has been translated from the original Turkish version titled Özgür Özel’den SOL Parti’ye ziyaret: Dayanışma ve mücadeleyi büyüteceğiz, published in BirGün newspaper on April 24, 2025.