Main opposition leader to meet Ankara, Istanbul mayors to discuss primary election process

Following the decision to select the presidential candidate through a primary election, all eyes are on the upcoming Party Assembly meeting on Feb. 10, where the primary election guidelines will be discussed and put to a vote.

Prior to the meeting, the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Ozgur Ozel is scheduled to meet with Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavas and Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu to discuss the primary election process and the election timeline on Sunday.

Details:

• Ozel’s agenda: In a recent group meeting, Ozel emphasized the importance of selecting the candidate early, stating, “The candidate for the early election will be chosen early. We will begin the journey ahead of time.”
  Ahead of the Party Assembly meeting, Ozel revealed plans to meet with Ekrem Imamoglu and Mansur Yavas to discuss the primary process and the party’s next steps.
• Key meeting: “Tomorrow, Ekrem Bey will come to Ankara. We had already met with Mansur Bey, and now we will have a meeting with all three of us. We will sit down at an appropriate time and place to discuss our current situation, the ongoing process, and what we can do moving forward,” Ozel mentioned.
• Yavas’s opinion: Earlier this week, Mansur Yavas stated that launching the primary election process at this point may be premature.
• Roadmap discussion: During the upcoming Party Assembly meeting, the roadmap for the primary election will be defined. According to a proposal by CHP’s Election and Legal Affairs Secretary Gul Ciftci, approximately 1.6 million party members will vote at district offices instead of using digital voting. Candidates will need to gather a certain number of signatures to qualify. The primary election process is expected to take 30-35 days to complete, and the Party Assembly will review and vote on the detailed plan.

Bigger picture

• Ozel also emphasized the importance of maintaining unity between Ekrem Imamoglu and Mansur Yavas, stressing that the image of them together has given hope to Turkey. He warned that any step backward from this unity could give political opponents the advantage.
• The primary election will play a crucial role in determining CHP’s candidate for the next presidential election. Transparent participation and the involvement of key party leaders will be important for the party’s future strategy.