CHP Leader Özgür Özel: “Change Will Benefit Everyone”
Ankara, February 9 – Addressing the public after a 3.5-hour meeting of the Presidential Candidate Office Executive Board, Republican People’s Party (CHP) Chairman Özgür Özel declared, “Our nation can be assured that change will benefit everyone. Those who look down on the people will leave, and those who serve the people will take office. Everyone will breathe a deep sigh of relief.”
Critique of the Current Administration
Özel sharply criticized the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government, stating, “Despite all the efforts of our heroic police and gendarmerie, the AKP government remains inadequate in combating street crime gangs. This grave situation we are experiencing is undoubtedly a result of political choices. Drug gangs are engulfing every corner of our country, and children, in particular, are being exploited by these gangs. Furthermore, the economic crisis is becoming more severe every day, and the AKP government is unable to produce a solution for this either.”
Judicial Reform Promises
Özel accused the AKP of using the judiciary as a tool for political operations to cling to power. He vowed to restore public trust in the judiciary, which he noted has fallen to 20 percent. “We will rebuild a fast, competent, and reliable justice system together with honorable judicial officials. To achieve this, we will restructure the Council of Judges and Prosecutors (HSK) according to universal, democratic standards. We will free the HSK from political influence. The Minister of Justice and no representative of the executive branch will be part of this council. The members of the councils will be elected by high-ranking judicial officials.”
He further elaborated on judicial reforms: “The judicial system will be swiftly and completely purged of individuals who do not comply with Constitutional Court decisions, whose assets cannot be explained, and who are involved in corruption. All processes related to the recruitment, appointments, promotions, and performance evaluations of judicial personnel will be conducted transparently and within pre-determined criteria. The authority to assign cases to specific panels or judges in courts will be removed from court presidents. Cases will be automatically distributed according to a legally established ranking method. In addition to geographical tenure, location and bench security will be provided. We will increase the number of specialized courts. These courts will be run by judges who are experts in their fields. We will establish new specialized courts in areas such as medical cases and military personnel cases, and strengthen existing ones. By increasing the number of members in high courts where case viewing times have been extended, we will meet the public’s demand for justice. We will remove barriers to justice for vulnerable groups. For this, we will work with bar associations and the Union of Turkish Bar Associations. Under our government, the judiciary will cease to be an apparatus of politics and will only protect the rights of citizens.”
Customs Union Agreement and EU Membership
Özel also addressed Turkey’s international standing, asserting that the current government fails to protect the nation’s rights abroad. “The recent developments within the framework of the Customs Union show that this country’s producers are left unprotected internationally. New free trade agreements made by the European Union, especially with Canada, South Korea, and India, will unilaterally affect our country. Our producers are subject to customs duties when exporting their products. However, after the new agreements, the way is opened for the same countries to sell tax-free products to Turkey. The Customs Union agreement, which does not protect domestic producers, must be changed and revised quickly.”
He continued, “Under our government, we aim for a comprehensive update of the Customs Union agreement. We will change the unilateral structure of the agreement. We will definitely include Turkey in the decision-making processes. The ultimate solution to the problems created by the Customs Union in Turkey is Turkey’s full membership in the European Union. With our determined policies and the great support our party receives internationally, we will successfully conclude EU full membership negotiations as soon as possible. As Vice President of the Socialist International, I see the declarations of intent and solidarity signed by 89 member parties, repeatedly stating their full support for the CHP’s goal of making Turkey a full member of the European Union, as extremely valuable, and we hope it will give an idea of how quickly we can become a member of the European Union under a CHP government.”
Ending Usurious Interest Rates and Debt Restructuring
Özel criticized the economic environment, stating, “Today, there is a structure that eliminates free competition, creates privileged groups in every field, and excludes others from commercial life. We are following with concern that the general debt level of our businesses has reached extraordinary levels. 2025 was the year with the highest number of concordat applications in the last 5 years. In the last 1 year, with 6,361 concordat applications, the annual increase reached 85 percent. This figure is equal to the total of the last 3 years.”
He highlighted the growing debt crisis: “As of the end of 2025, the total number of enforcement and bankruptcy files for both citizens and businesses reached 23 million 994 thousand. The amount of overdue receivables reached 426 billion 201 million liras as of the end of 2025. The increase in the last 1 year is close to 100 percent. The increase in citizens’ debt to the public reached 65 percent in 1 year. When we look at the details of this figure, we see that the largest group in debt collection is SMEs. We are saddened to see that both our citizens and our businesses are experiencing an inextricable grievance due to public debts and high interest rates. Under our government, we will put an end to this usurious interest rate mentality. Debt restructuring has now become a vital necessity. We will implement a comprehensive restructuring study for the debts of our citizens and businesses to the state.”
Turkey’s Vast Resources and Future Vision
Özel affirmed that Turkey possesses vast resources. “For example, this year, due to the wrong economic policies of this government, 2.7 trillion liras will go to interest payments. This resource alone is more than enough to cover all that we have mentioned. I am not even counting the resources wasted with the Currency Protected Deposit, the taxes waived for the rich, and the guarantee payments made for public-private partnership agreements. And most importantly, without justice, there is no prosperity. 160 billion dollars were wasted just for the March 19 coup. An economic crisis was added to a judicial and political crisis.”
He concluded with a hopeful message: “We continue to work under this roof to produce constructive solutions to Turkey’s urgent problems and to share them with our nation, and we will continue to do so. Our presidential candidate, Ekrem İmamoğlu, is working diligently for this nation, even in his 12 square meter cell. Those who think they can stop this by imprisoning him will face a great disappointment, just like in the local elections. Just as we won locally, we will win the general election with a clear difference.”
“The Justice and Development Party did not benefit the workers, retirees, farmers, tradesmen, and civil servants of this country. But our nation can be assured that change will benefit everyone. Those who look down on the people will leave, and those who serve the people will take office. Everyone will breathe a deep sigh of relief. We promise that, as the Republican People’s Party, we are waiting for the elections to implement the solutions to these problems, moving from the point of ‘We see the problems, we explain them.’ With the authority given by our nation and with a great sense of responsibility, working like bees, we will revive the hopes of our people who have lost hope. As in the early periods of the Republic, we will raise this country up once again, without separating anyone, without leaving anyone out, shoulder to shoulder, arm in arm. This country will develop, prosper, and share justly. No one will be left out of the development and justice of the Republic. This country will be a country where the grandchildren live in peace, prosperity, and tranquility, as envisioned by our grandfathers who founded this country.”
Source: Demirören News Agency (DHA)
