European Forum

The new face of CHP?

In Turkey, the Republican People’s Party (CHP) has been in turmoil lately, resulting in the emergence of a new promising candidate for party leadership: Istanbul MP Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu.

After the shocking resignation of CHP leader Deniz Baykal – following an equally shocking release of a sex-tape on the internet – speculations on the future of the party’s leadership were aplenty. Baykal was maneuvering between loudly proclaiming the need of a younger, fresher leader whom he would support – given a unanimous backing by the party  - and keeping a door to a comeback open. While saying he would not be a candidate he avoided a definitive answer to questions regarding what he will do if he is nominated by his party. Speaking to the media on May 11th, he said he wanted his party to have a fresh start and that CHP must carry on with a dynamic staff, while in some other interviews he said he would be ready to support his party if he is asked to return.

A new candidate

All this came to an end when in a surprise move CHP MP from Istanbul Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu announced his intention to run for party leadership on May 17th, after having denied any such intentions twice before that same week. Kılıçdaroğlu immediately stated a desire to make the party more youthful and democratic and “give hope to people suffering unemployment and despair”. Kılıçdaroğlu seems to be backed by a large number of party prominents, including Önder Sav, the party’s secretary-general who has been referred to in the media as ‘arguably the most powerful man in the CHP’. Other supporters include Baykal former close allies like the Parliamentary group Chairmen Kemal Anadol and Hakki Süha Okay. The CHP’s youth branches – some members of which had previously even started hunger strikes for Baykal’s return – made a U-turn in favour of Kılıçdaroğlu, joined by 58 out of CHP’s 97 MPs and 77 out of 81 provincial chairpersons.

Baykal’s reaction

Deniz Baykal, however, seems not to be willing to give up without a fight. He has been reported to consider the events a stab in the back, and even talked about the ‘evil alliance’ of Kılıçdaroğlu and Sav, which, according to some media, he called ‘an alliance of the devil that involves the media’. He reportedly told his close confidants that he would fight his betrayers and return. Baykal has for now, however, suspended that return, and is planning to find a good candidate to challenge Kılıçdaroğlu. One such person could be İstanbul province head Gürsel Tekin. However, the challenge will not be an easy one considering the broad support Kılıçdaroğlu seems to enjoy within, but also outside the party: some recent opinion polls (Konsensus polling company) show the CHP going from 24.8% to 27.2% immediately after Kılıçdaroğlu’s announcement.

Sources: Hurriyet Daily News; Today's Zaman; Turkish Press Scanner

Source photo: Zaman Online