CHP Congress Delivers Unanimous Authority to Özel, Vowing to Convert Historic Local Gains into National Power
The Mandate of Defiance: Full Marks for Özel
ANKARA – There was no contest, but there was a powerful statement. At the Republican People’s Party’s (CHP) 39th Ordinary Congress on Saturday, November 29, 2025, Özgür Özel didn't just win; he was handed a 1,333-vote mandate—the entirety of the valid delegate pool. This wasn't a routine procedural formality; it was a rallying cry for unity against a backdrop of increasing political pressure.
Gathering under the urgent banner: "Şimdi İktidar Zamanı" (Now is the time for Power), the delegates signaled they were closing ranks. Özel immediately seized the moment, his acceptance speech a shot across the bow of the ruling government.
"CHP is ready for power," Özel thundered from the podium. "I know the weight of this historic responsibility, and I embrace it. This overwhelming mandate is the party’s promise to the Turkish nation: we are coming to deliver the change you voted for."
The re-election provides the final internal stamp of authority for Özel, who ascended to the leadership in 2023. Now, the internal skirmishes are officially over, leaving him free to focus entirely on the main prize.
The Unseen Force: İmamoğlu’s Defining Absence
The specter of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu—currently inprisoned since March 2025—loomed large over the entire congress, transforming the assembly into an act of political solidarity.
Özel made the party’s stance unmistakably clear, following the entire proceedings alongside Dilek İmamoğlu, the Mayor's wife. It was a potent, visual reminder of the stakes. In his address, Özel dismissed any doubt about the party’s long-term plan, issuing a fiery challenge that focused on the jailed mayor:
"Ekrem İmamoğlu is both our Plan A and Plan Z!" Özel declared to rapturous applause. "Bring the ballot box and let the people decide. We will not be bullied into changing our strategy."
This quote immediately became the shorthand for the party's unwavering commitment to its most successful electoral figure, regardless of the judicial obstacles thrown in his path. For the delegates, İmamoğlu’s absence was a source of indignation, hardening their resolve to push back against what they view as targeted persecution.
Political Context: The Data That Demands Power
Özel’s decisive re-election is built on hard, compelling data that the party cannot ignore.
The Triumph of 2024
His leadership is credited with orchestrating the historic local election victory in March 2024. In that election, the CHP achieved a feat unseen since 1977, emerging as the leading force in terms of popular vote share. Crucially, the party now governs municipalities that collectively represent an estimated 65% of the country's population and generate a staggering 80% of Türkiye's entire economic output. This shift shattered two decades of electoral hegemony and created an undeniable momentum.
Standing Against the Current
The unanimous decision by the delegates is also a direct challenge to the hostile political and legal environment. The party has been forced to navigate complex judicial maneuvers aimed at creating internal chaos and even annulments of previous congresses. International observers, including the Party of European Socialists (PES), noted this tension, using the congress as an opportunity to issue a formal statement of solidarity and call for the release of İmamoğlu and other imprisoned opposition figures.
This congress, therefore, was less about electing a leader and more about consolidating an iron will. The CHP, unified and energized, has put the pressure squarely back on the ruling powers: they have the leader, they have the data, and now they claim it is, unequivocally, the time for power.