CHP Chairperson Özgür Özel: “Turkey is a Big Family and It Is Not Limited to the Erdoğan Government”

“When Everything Is Over, What We Will Remember Will Be the Silence of Our Friends Rather Than the Harsh Words of Our Enemies”

“I Call on the Socialist International to Take a Much More Effective Stand Against the Massacre in Palestine”

“Democrats Are the Potential Target of Authoritarianism”

“We Aim Not to Simply Survive Against Authoritarianism, But to Defeat It With the People and to Achieve Power”

“Our Goal Is to Stop Turkey From Becoming a Refugee Depot and to Solve the Migration Issue With Europe”

The Leader of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), Özgür Özel, attended the Socialist International Council Meeting held in Istanbul. During the opening of the meeting, CHP Chairperson Özel said:

"Dear comrades, welcome all. Thank you for your solidarity. I can feel here that this strong sense of solidarity has been warmly conveyed to Ekrem İmamoğlu and our friends. As mentioned in the statement just read, he expressed how much strength this hall’s solidarity has given him. Dear guests, dear comrades, we greet you from a city that has served as the capital of three great empires, a city that connects Asia and Europe, and where not a river but a sea flows through its heart. Welcome, all of you."

Özel continued his speech as follows:

"THE WORLD NEEDS SOCIAL DEMOCRATS MORE THAN EVER"

"I would like to express our deep satisfaction in hosting you here in Istanbul, one of the oldest cities in the world. We see the Socialist International, with 89 member parties from 81 countries, as the largest family in the world. We are comrades who share the same worldview and are tightly connected to one another. Today, we need to be in solidarity around the common values of this great family more than ever before. History is going through a very critical turning point. Governments that advocate a neoliberal economic approach have brought economic inequalities between nations and classes to colossal levels. While one part of the world has turned into an insatiable consumer society, the other part has been condemned to poverty and even hunger. They have heavily contributed to the deepening of the climate crisis, the migration problem, and many other related issues. They have wounded the already fragile soul of the world even further. Today, to heal this wounded soul, deep compassion is needed. And the source of this compassion is none other than social democracy and socialism, which have always stood by the poor and the oppressed.

For this reason, the world today needs us, social democrats and socialists, more than ever before. To restore global balance and to put an end to regional wars, we do not need the irrational rhetoric of right-wing populist movements, but the unifying hand of social democracy. The very will that will achieve this recovery is represented in this hall. What we need are not intense emotions stirred up by unrealistic discourse, but genuine solidarity, and courage at least as much as our citizens who suffer under authoritarianism and the neoliberal order. It must be known that even one step back from solidarity and courage in this hall would multiply the grievances of billions of people who face injustice in our countries."

"EFFORTS FOR A CEASEFIRE AND A PERMANENT SOLUTION IN UKRAINE ARE VALUABLE"

"Dear comrades, the region we are in unfortunately experiences almost every kind of multiple crisis and conflict. To the north of this city, in Ukraine, there has been war, conflict, and occupation for nearly three years. Just beyond our southern border, in Gaza, there is an ongoing massacre, a genocide; in neighboring Syria there is uncertainty and conflict; further south in Yemen, and to our east in Libya, growing instability. Our region is one of the areas with the most unequal income distribution, as well as one of the most heavily affected by migration caused by climate or conflict. In addition, this wide region is struggling with some of the newest and heaviest problems of our age, such as terrorism, proxy wars, and hybrid wars.

One of the sources that feeds authoritarianism is security concerns. The growing crises and conflicts in the world are being turned into tools by authoritarian regimes to consolidate their own power. At this point, it is becoming increasingly important for social democratic and socialist parties to maintain the balance between security, democracy, and income distribution, and to develop their discourse in line with these new conditions.

We hope that the ongoing conflicts, particularly the bloody clashes in Ukraine will first result in a ceasefire, and then in a permanent solution accepted by the will of both sides. I find all efforts shown in this direction extremely valuable."

"WE WILL STAND AGAINST THE MALICIOUS PLAN FOR PALESTINE UNTIL THE END"

"Once again, I call for an end to the massacres in Gaza. The number of Palestinians killed in Gaza has exceeded 50,000. In just the last week, 370 Palestinians have been killed. Children, women 370 Palestinians. In any developed country in the world, if 370 chicks were to suddenly die for an unknown reason, those who govern that country would be on alert, and everyone would be concerned. Right next to us, in a single week, 370 women and babies were killed. This must be voiced by all comrades, at the loudest volume, in all regions, and in all meetings.

Today, the President of the United States, Trump, mockingly and laughingly expresses a project to expel the Palestinian people from Gaza and turn the area into an entertainment and casino center. Unfortunately, the world listens. I want to emphasize once again before you that Trump is not joking but he is also not unaware of the hydrocarbon reserves off the coast of Gaza that would last Europe for a century. I declare once again in your presence that we will stand against this malicious plan until the end and will continue to support the Palestinian cause with the same and even greater courage, in line with our historical consistency.

We believe that the solution lies in establishing a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. We must continue to uphold this United Nations resolution. Our dear President Pedro Sanchez provides sincere and exemplary support to the just struggle of the Palestinian people. I once again congratulate him for this from here. I call on the Socialist International to take a much more effective stance against this massacre. I believe it is important for the Middle East Committee to visit the region, prepare a report on this matter, and put it on the agenda urgently."

"THE ANTIDOTE TO ORGANIZED AUTHORITARIANISM IS OUR SOLIDARITY"

"Dear comrades, we have entered a period in which the President of the United States can openly say, about some leaders, ‘He is my favorite dictator.’ Or, while hosting them, he can say live on air, ‘Being a dictator is not a problem for me.’ In Turkey, President Erdoğan can imprison his strongest rival to prevent him from running in an election, and before doing so, he receives approval from Trump who has no qualms about the concept of dictatorship. He can even inform him. The Trump administration then laughs mockingly at these violations of law in Turkey.

One of the most important figures in Trump’s team, who is most interested in the oil off the coast of Gaza and is expected to begin oil exploration in Turkey within a few months, said just yesterday when asked about the events in Turkey: ‘Such things happen in third-world countries. You lock up the opposition, and you get rid of the problem. The issue is resolved. There are active protests in Turkey, but the government still seems stable.’

In Germany, a radical far-right, racist party has unfortunately achieved unprecedented success in the elections. Last week in Portugal, the far-right party, even though it could not form a government, received a historically high vote. In other words, the global wave of right-wing populism and authoritarianism is becoming increasingly dangerous step by step.

We have entered the second quarter of the 21st century with authoritarian populist leaders who talk to one another, learn from one another, and stand in solidarity just as we are entering a time where artificial intelligence, communicating machines, and robots are shaping the world. I believe that the greatest problem and the greatest field of struggle in the coming quarter will be precisely this reality.

We must never forget this: only organized goodness can defeat organized evil. The antidote to organized authoritarianism is our solidarity. Well-organized democratic forces around the world must act together in solidarity. This year’s Socialist International meeting chose ‘solidarity’ as its central theme because of this shared understanding. From now on, solidarity is not an option for democrats, it is a responsibility we cannot escape.

That is exactly why the slogan of the meeting has been determined as: ‘For a world we deserve; all together, or none of us.’ In Turkey, inspired by the German poet Bertolt Brecht, we use this slogan: ‘There is no salvation alone. Either all together, or none of us.’"

"I HAVE EXPLAINED THE SITUATIONS AND I WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO"

"Dear comrades, today’s authoritarians abuse the approval they once received from the people, violating the fundamental principles of democracy. They erode the opportunities provided by democracy. They capture and monopolize traditional media outlets. They use pressure and censorship tools against social media. They control the legal system. They create enemies both inside and outside the country to fuel anxiety. When the wall of public concern is breached, they see the chance to build a wall of fear. They seek to manage consent through anxiety and resort to bullying and intimidation to suppress dissent.

It is as if there is an unpublished but ever-present Handbook for Authoritarians by their bedside. As I said earlier, they learn from one another, teach one another, and support one another. In such a process, when you try to explain the pressures and wrongdoings happening in a country to the world, the democrats of that country attempt to create a psychological barrier by saying, ‘You cannot criticize your country abroad.’ Turkey is no different.

When a coup attempt took place against this government on July 15, Erdoğan knocked on our door the next morning: ‘Your relations with the world are very good. Help us explain to the world that this is a coup against democracy,’ he said. We did not withhold that help. When he faced the closure of his party, he sent delegations to each of you, explaining how anti-democratic it was to open a closure case against his party. He received support. We, too, have always opposed the closure of political parties.

When Erdoğan’s party first began its journey, they applied to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in the face of the difficulties they encountered, and they received results. Together, we always defended the implementation of ECHR decisions.

Today, Erdoğan does not implement ECHR rulings, keeps elected parliamentarians imprisoned despite Constitutional Court decisions, and shamelessly strikes a blow against the elected mayor of the Republican People’s Party who defended him during the coup attempt, opened Parliament despite its closure, and stood in front of tanks. He strikes a blow against our future presidential candidate, a blow against the country’s future government, and then says, ‘You cannot talk about this anywhere.’

I have spoken out without hesitation and with great courage whether to the high-circulation newspapers printed on trains in Japan, to The Guardian in response to the British Labour Party, or to more than 40 press outlets around the world and I will continue to do so. To submit to these pressures, to remain within the climate they create, to stay behind the walls they build only strengthens them. The walls must be torn down, the climate must be abandoned, and the mediocrity imposed by dictators must not be accepted. This is the first remedy in the prescription."

"ERDOĞAN STAGED A COUP AGAINST HIS GREATEST RIVAL"

"President Erdoğan, who came to power through elections but does not want to leave through elections, has staged a coup against his greatest rival. On the morning of March 19, Turkey woke up to a civilian coup. Mr. İmamoğlu was politically targeted through the judiciary after announcing his presidential candidacy.

Ekrem İmamoğlu, the three-time elected Mayor of this very city, Istanbul, and our party’s Presidential Candidate, was taken into custody on March 19 when hundreds of police raided his home. In addition, five of our mayors in Istanbul have been arrested. Two of our municipalities have been assigned government trustees.

Also with us in this hall is the Co-Chair of the DEM Party, whom we will hear from shortly. In the previous term, 49 of their mayors elected with very high votes had government trustees appointed under the pretext of terrorism. In this term, more than 10 of their mayors have already had trustees appointed. We stood in solidarity during that process, and we will do so in this one as well.

Currently in Turkey, there is a process under the slogan ‘A Turkey Without Terror,’ but we have made it clear that we will support it only as ‘A Terror-Free and Democratic Turkey.’ There is hope that this process will finally end terrorism in Turkey, that there will be no more clashes, and that no Kurdish or Turkish mother will ever again shed tears. Despite all the hardships we have endured and all the pressures we have faced, we are making the most positive contribution befitting social democrats and we will continue to do so. I would like to put this on record."

"ERDOĞAN CONSIDERED EVERYTHING, BUT HE DID NOT CONDESERED OUR PEOPLE"

"Erdoğan, who came to power through elections but does not want to leave through elections, after attempting a coup in this city, had the university diploma required to become a presidential candidate in Turkey of our dear Ekrem İmamoğlu annulled, 31 years after it was issued by Istanbul University. This was done despite objections from the faculty that issued the diploma, and instead by a university board whose duties are administrative, not academic responsibility for tasks like managing shuttle lines and painting walls.

If the Administrative Court does not overturn this decision, Ekrem İmamoğlu cannot run for president, even if he receives no criminal sentence. This shows how afraid they are. While canceling İmamoğlu’s diploma, they also annulled the diplomas of 28 of his classmates one of whom holds a PhD from the Sorbonne and is the Dean of the Business Department at Galatasaray University, one of Turkey’s top private universities. Simply because they were his classmates and because they feared İmamoğlu, they annulled the dean’s diploma as well meaning that the dean of one of Turkey’s most prestigious business faculties is now officially considered a high school graduate. I want this to be on record.

Erdoğan calculated everything, but he did not calculate our people. Because in Turkey, all democrats rose against this coup. In all 81 provinces, mass demonstrations began against this unlawfulness. Yet the government tried to suppress these protests with violence detaining thousands of our people and arresting hundreds. In just the first days, 302 university students were arrested and spent the 10-day holiday in Silivri prison, away from their families.

Millions of citizens who believe in democracy did not give up. Since that day, we have continued to keep the public reaction alive by holding a nightly rally every Wednesday in one district of Istanbul and a major city rally every weekend. In Turkey, political opposition and social opposition are now united. Because if palaces belong to authoritarian leaders, the squares belong to the people.

Mr. Ekrem İmamoğlu has been under arrest for 67 days. His indictment has still not been written. The prosecution has not been able to substantiate any of its claims. Over 70% of Turkish citizens believe that this investigation is political, not legal, as reflected in the polls. Meanwhile, our already-struggling economy has suffered a major collapse. Our Central Bank was forced to sell $60 billion in reserves to prevent the rise of foreign exchange. The cost of this political ambition is being paid by 86 million citizens becoming even poorer."

"THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF BEING A FAMILY"

"It must be known that representative democracy is an incomplete democracy. But the alternative to an incomplete democracy is never autocracy. The alternative to an incomplete democracy is participatory democracy. The alternative to politics in crisis is not apathy or submission. The alternative is more politics, more participation, more struggle, more solidarity.

We aim not merely to survive authoritarianism, but to defeat it with the support of the people and to come to power. At the end of all these processes, we see that our party, just as it became Turkey’s leading party after 47 years in the March 31 elections, is today, according to polls, by far the number one party in Turkey.

At the start of my speech, I said, ‘We are a family united around shared values.’ Being a family comes with responsibilities. For this reason, I sincerely thank all our comrades who have stood in solidarity with us during this process. In particular, I extend my heartfelt thanks to Pedro, to the Socialist International and our sister parties for their official statements, to the Party of European Socialists for its statement, for their solidarity visits, and by name to the German Social Democrats for their intensive participation in all delegations visiting Turkey, their separate visits, and for making Germany the country where our issue has remained most visible after Turkey.

On this occasion, I congratulate our sister party SPD for the recent elections and the new responsibilities they have undertaken. I also congratulate my comrade Lars on his new position. From Istanbul, I once again call on SPD to return to the Socialist International, our great family, and to end this separation as soon as possible.

Last night we were with the esteemed Secretary General of PES, and today he has honored our hall as well. His speech yesterday was very valuable. I greatly appreciate his views on fostering solidarity, ensuring that our sister parties always stand together, and integrating our structures more closely. I thank him once again for this.

I must also express our disappointment that some of our sister parties have chosen to remain silent during this difficult process. When everything is over, what we will remember will not be the loud and harsh words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends. I want to convey this once again to those we call our friends."

"OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE OUR COUNTRY A FULL MEMBER OF THE EU"

"There are complex equations in Syria, complex equations in the world, and the major interests of major countries. But it is wrong to see the interests of England as being embodied in Erdoğan. If the United Kingdom has an interest, it is in a stable Turkey, a stable Syria, and a stable Middle East. But the path to stability in Turkey lies in the rule of democrats. The stability of autocrats is the most fundamental instability.

Therefore, we have never accepted remaining silent in the face of a coup against democrats under the pretext of ‘supporting stability,’ and we never will.

Dear comrades, Turkey is a great country. And this country is not limited to the rule of Erdoğan. As the Republican People’s Party, our goal is to ensure economic justice, judicial justice, and social justice in our country. Our goal is to establish genuine democratic competition. Our goal is to build a Turkey where the Kurdish issue is fully resolved and where there is no terrorism or violence. Our goal is to end Turkey’s role as a refugee depot and to solve the migration issue in cooperation with Europe. And our goal is to make our country a full member of the European Union. We are pursuing this struggle with determination."

"ERDOĞAN WITHDREW FROM THE ISTANBUL CONVENTION TO GAIN THE SUPPORT OF THOSE WHO LEGITIMIZE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN"

"Undoubtedly, not everything done in the 23 years of AK Party rule was bad. There were some good things as well as few, but good. In Turkey, if you highly value something, you might give it a nazar boncuğu, a charm to protect it from harm. As the leader of the main opposition, I say this: if I were to give Erdoğan a nazar boncuğu for any reason, it would have been for the Istanbul Convention.

The Istanbul Convention, named after Istanbul itself, prohibits violence against women, commits to the strictest measures on this issue, defends gender equality, and fights against gender-based inequalities. It was adopted in Istanbul, swiftly brought to our parliament with our support, and unanimously ratified by all members of parliament. On that day, all members of the Republican People’s Party raised both hands in support of the Istanbul Convention.

Before the last elections, Erdoğan unilaterally withdrew from the Istanbul Convention with a midnight decree to win the support of a peculiar voter base those who do not want to pay alimony to women, who resent being removed from their homes for domestic violence, and who see violence against women as legitimate within certain limits.

For this reason, Erdoğan no longer deserves even a single nazar boncuğu. But when the Republican People’s Party comes to power, within the first month, we will reinstate the Istanbul Convention in Turkey and ensure that it is followed as an exemplary standard worldwide. I wish to reiterate this here, in the presence of the distinguished members of the Socialist International Women, who recently held a very successful meeting."

"WE WILL NOT SURRENDER TO AUTHORITARIANS"

"As I conclude my remarks, let me remind everyone that democrats are either the target or the potential target of authoritarianism. Solidarity in fighting against it is an unavoidable responsibility.

As a Socialist International family, we will always remain committed to the values of freedom, justice, and solidarity. With the determined will of our comrades, who must act with a sense of solidarity in the face of every challenge, we will overcome all obstacles.

With the support of you, our esteemed members, I have full faith that we will defend democracy, peace, and social justice even more strongly.

From here in Istanbul, we raise our voices together to the whole world: We will not surrender to authoritarians. Democrats will prevail. We will prevail. There is no salvation alone; either all together, or none of us. I greet you all with respect."