The CHP New Party Assembly: Cracking the Codes
CHP’s 38th Ordinary Congress Concludes with Election Results
The 38th Ordinary Congress of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) has come to an end, with the election of the chairman and other key positions. Over the course of three days, delegates gathered to vote on the party assembly and high disciplinary board. Out of the 1,366 delegates, 1,277 participated in the voting process, with 1,092 valid votes and 185 invalid votes recorded.
Gökhan Zeybek, who was on Özgür Özel’s list, emerged as the frontrunner with 648 votes. Following him in the voting order were Özgür Karabat, Deniz Yücel, Gamze Taşçıer, Murat Bakan, Selin Sayek Böke, Burhanettin Bulut, Ali Haydar Fırat, Ulaş Karasu. Notably, Veli Ağbaba, Seyit Torun, Onursal Adıgüzel, Tekin Bingöl, and Bülent Tezcan, who were previously part of Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu’s Central Executive Committee but recently acted independently, were not included in Özgür Özel’s list.
Despite being on Özgür Özel’s list, Tahsin Tarhan, a former member of Kılıçdaroğlu’s Central Executive Board, did not secure a seat in the party council. Sezgin Tanrıkulu, a noteworthy name on Özel’s list and a member of the previous party assembly, ranked 42nd with 406 votes but was unable to enter the party council due to the women’s quota. It was noted that Hüseyin Şahin, the former Mayor of Batman Province, played a role in shaping the voting outcomes by creating an alternative list for the eastern and southeastern regions.
With Kılıçdaroğlu not participating in the race, former member of the Central Executive Board and Istanbul Deputy Oğuz Kaan Salıcı presented a key list against Özgür Özel. Despite finishing in 51st place with 363 votes, Salıcı could not enter the list due to the women’s quota. However, eight individuals from Salıcı’s list successfully made it through and joined the party council.
In addition to the party council, Özgür Özel’s list also garnered full support for the Science and Culture Board, consisting of eight members. Among the individuals included were Fethi Açıkel and Gökçe Gökçen, who previously served on Kılıçdaroğlu’s Central Executive Board. Furthermore, Özel’s 15-person High Disciplinary Board was also fully accepted, and Aydın Deputy Süleyman Bülbül, a previous member of the YDK, was among those included.
The outcome of the congress reflects the evolution and dynamics within the CHP, particularly in light of the shifting alliances and the roles played by various individuals in shaping the party’s future direction.
