Leadership dispute in Turkey's main opposition after the election fiasco

Nowadays, people think that the main opposition CHP Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu is being treated unfairly. I will be frank; I do not agree with this at all, and nor do I understand. Actually, my topic is not Mr. Kılıçdaroğlu's electoral defeat. It is the type of the regime under which the party is governed!

For 12 years, Mr. Kılıçdaroğlu has been ruling the CHP by his own means. He chooses almost 90 percent of the provincial and district presidents, the deputies, and the party assembly members as he or his close circle wishes, and he runs the party with taking full responsibility. I do not really know whether a person who has had the command of the helm for 12 years without a destination could steer the ship to a new continent or a safe harbor… He says that he will not leave the captain's cabin until he steers the ship to a safe harbor, and what I hear is terrifying to me.

Because his approach is highly personal (rather than organizational) and very indefinite indeed. Will the CHP ship commanded by Mr. Kılıçdaroğlu keep searching for the new islands of hope in the midst of Turkey’s turbulent democracy quarrels in the foggy and dark horizons for 12 more years? 

After all, Mr. Kılıçdaroğlu is not even a victim at all as he continues to sit on the captain's cabin. I mean, he continues to deliver his group speeches on Tuesdays, and as the voices rise against him, he hears as much as he wants to hear or chooses not to hear at all.

I have been explaining in this column for weeks: We had long conversations with our fellows, including many former politicians, administrators, writers, and intellectuals from different views and parties. And I expressed before the elections that as of June 1, the internal party democracy will be the most significant topic for the CHP circles to discuss. CHP Deputy Gürsel Erol said in a TV program that considering the potential of the CHP, at least ten candidates should run for the chairmanship. How can we imagine that in the current situation, with the current Rule Book? Did any of the respected and visionary candidates other than Kılıçdaroğlu, such as Tolga Yarman, İlhan Cihaner, or Aytuğ Atıcı reach the required number of signatures at the last congress?

Various names are being circulated for the nomination of the chairmanship of the CHP. The most prominent ones are Istanbul mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and parliamentary deputy group leader Özgür Özel. There will probably be more candidates. But everybody should know that, it is not about changing the leader and replacing him with another figure who will continue the same system. It is about changing the whole system.