Özgür Özel Declares CHP’s Certain Victory in Switzerland
Özgür Özel, Chairman of the Republican People’s Party of Turkey (CHP), delivered a speech at the special congress of the Swiss Social Democratic Party and sent a clear message: “We are confident that the Republican People’s Party will come to power in the upcoming elections in Turkey. Our position as the leading party in all public opinion polls confirms this reality.”
He added: “I would like to convey the greetings of the Mayor of Istanbul and presidential candidate, Ekrem İmamoğlu, as well as our imprisoned mayors. This message is of great importance for strengthening international solidarity against the growing authoritarianism in the world.”
Recalling that the CHP is Turkey’s oldest party and the founder of the modern Republic, Özel said: “In my political interactions, I witness increasing concerns about democracy and security. Interest in Turkey is rising due to its geostrategic position and its ongoing crises in democracy and security. Europeans, on the one hand, see a Turkey facing a democracy crisis, and on the other hand, a country with vast military-security capacity and a powerful defense industry. As Europe’s new security architecture takes shape, it is impossible to imagine Turkey outside of this equation.”
He emphasized: “This duality raises a fundamental question in the minds of our European friends: democracy or security? But those who try to draw a roadmap based on this dichotomy overlook a crucial point: in Turkey, a government led by the CHP will safeguard both security and democracy at the same time, and with the strong support of the people, it will come to power in the first elections.”
The CHP leader, pointing to the party’s leading position in opinion polls and the large weekly rallies held in various cities across the country, added: “In these gatherings, we clearly see our people’s faith and commitment to democracy. We engage in politics with the conviction that democracy is not only a national issue but also a vital matter for the entire world.”
Özel concluded his speech by saying: “We always emphasize the importance of global solidarity in defending democracy. We know that if we unite, authoritarianism will collapse worldwide; but if we remain divided, authoritarianism will prevail on a global scale.”
