CHP leader Özgür Özel draws massive crowds in Gaziantep, vows to pursue power for ordinary citizens

Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi (CHP) leader Özgür Özel's visit to the Eyüpsultan neighborhood in Gaziantep was met with an overwhelming public turnout, forcing him to abandon his planned esnaf ziyareti (shopkeeper visits) for an impromptu rally.

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You ran when you heard we were coming, you came. You were very pleased.

Speaking from a park, Özel described how roads were blocked by citizens eager to see him. He recounted an offer of a local Gaziantep lahmacun, which he shared with attending journalists, though they were unable to partake due to live broadcasts. "You ran when you heard we were coming, you came," Özel told the gathered residents, expressing his pleasure at their enthusiastic reception.

Özel emphasized the CHP's commitment to serving the less fortunate, stating, "We are working for you, we are fighting for you." He highlighted the party's recent success in becoming the leading party in Turkey, surpassing the AK Party for the first time in 47 years. "They tell us not to aim for power. We are not giving up on the goal of power because if I come to power, the retirees in this neighborhood will be in power, the youth in this neighborhood will be in power," he declared.

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They tell us not to aim for power. We are not giving up on the goal of power because if I come to power, the retirees in this neighborhood will be in power, the youth in this neighborhood will be in power. This neighborhood's housewives will be in power, this neighborhood's shopkeepers will be in power.

He contrasted the CHP's vision with the current government's policies, asserting that the AK Party has become a party for the wealthy and their associates over the past 23 years, forgetting the common people. "The Republic was founded in Turkey, Atatürk said, 'The Republic is especially the protector of the defenseless.' It was founded on this, but for 23 years, instead of being the protector of the defenseless, the AK Party has turned into a party for the wealthy and their cronies. It forgot you," Özel stated. He pointed to the current economic hardships, including low retirement pensions, minimum wages, and average farmer incomes, as reasons for public dissatisfaction and a desire for change.

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The Republic was founded in Turkey, Atatürk said, 'The Republic is especially the protector of the defenseless.' It was founded on this, but for 23 years, instead of being the protector of the defenseless, the AK Party has turned into a party for the wealthy and their cronies. It forgot you.