Bahçeli Warns Against Street Protests, Criticizes CHP Leaders

Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli has sharply criticized the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leaders, Özgür Özel and Ekrem İmamoğlu, warning that attempts to move their internal political struggles to the streets are dangerous. Bahçeli expressed concern that such actions could undermine political stability and progress toward a Turkey free from terrorism. He urged the Court of Cassation to promptly rule on the CHP's appeals regarding its internal disputes, emphasizing the need to prevent further damage to Turkish politics and democracy.

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We find attempts to move the issue to the streets very dangerous. We evaluate it as an element aimed at sabotaging the distance covered on the path to a Turkey free from terrorism and poisoning stability.

Bahçeli specifically addressed the ongoing internal conflict within the CHP, suggesting that the current leadership under Özel is pursuing actions that deepen the crisis without awaiting the final court decisions. He characterized these moves as detrimental to the party's institutional integrity and democracy. The MHP leader also touched upon speculative scenarios regarding the formation of a new political party by İmamoğlu and Özel, suggesting it could be framed as a response to the party being 'taken over by the government.'

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The Court of Cassation, as the appellate body for court decisions, should make its decision on the objection as soon as possible, given the sensitivity of the matter. The bruising of Turkish politics and democracy should not be allowed.

Furthermore, Bahçeli commented on the media's role, noting that planned public relations efforts, including staged events and protests, might be part of a strategy to prepare public opinion for a new party. He cautioned against allowing political matters to devolve into street confrontations or acts that disrupt public order and challenge law enforcement. Bahçeli stressed that legal and political platforms should remain the arenas for competition, maintaining a standard of political decency.

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Parallel leadership in CHP, with Özgür Özel at the helm, is keeping possible new party scenarios on the agenda.