Türkiye’s main opposition CHP in extensive debate over presidential candidate
Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu spoke at CHP's 20th Extraordinary Congress, named the 'Second Century Change Congress,' held at ATO Congresium, where CHP Chairman Ozgur Ozel and Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavas also addressed the attendees. Ankara, Türkiye, September 7, 2024 (AA Photo)
Türkiye‘s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Ozgur Ozel proposed selecting the presidential candidate internally through a pre-selection process sparking extensive internal debate within the party.
The CHP has been shaken by recent arrest of the district mayors of Istanbul’s Esenyurt and Besiktas municipalities.
Istanbul mayor Imamoglu and Ankara mayor Yavas compete
Ekrem Imamoglu, Istanbul’s mayor, strongly supported the pre-selection move, reportedly influencing the decision. Meawhile, Mansur Yavas, Ankara’s mayor and the other potential presidential candidate, expressed dissatisfaction, particularly because he was not informed about the decision beforehand.
Yavas has not made any formal statements yet, although rumors of him planning a large survey have been debunked.
Potential internal fracturing, premature exposure
The pre-selection will involve party members voting, but the final decision on the candidate will still rest with the CHP’s parliamentary group. Some party members worry that the process could lead to division, as well as the selected candidate being prematurely open to political damage as Türkiye inches towards the 2028 presidential elections.
The outcome of this internal conflict remains uncertain, as the party navigates disagreements between those who support the pre-selection and those, like Yavas, who oppose it.
