Former CHP Youth Leaders Back Party Chief After 'Absolute Nullity' Ruling

Former leaders of the Republican People's Party (CHP) Youth Wing have issued a joint statement expressing their unwavering support for party chairman Özgür Özel following a court's decision of "absolute nullity" regarding the party's 38th Ordinary Congress. The former officials declared their solidarity with Özel, the party's organization, and the will of the people.

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The current process our party is facing is not just a political debate, but an open intervention directed at the will of the people and the values of the Republic.

In their statement, the 16th-term CHP Youth Wing provincial chairmen asserted that the current political situation is not merely an internal party dispute but a direct intervention against the public's will and the core values of the Republic. They argued that those unable to accept the public's mandate demonstrated on March 31 are attempting to create controversy within the party through the congress proceedings.

The former leaders emphasized the CHP's historical resilience, stating that the party has never surrendered or retreated in the face of pressure. They linked the current challenges, including the process concerning their presidential candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu and systematic attacks on the party, to a broader assault on democracy, public choice, and Turkey's future. "Therefore, the issue is not just a party matter; it is also a matter of defending democracy," the statement read.

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Therefore, the issue is not just a party matter; it is also a matter of defending democracy.

Reaffirming their commitment to the struggle for an equal, free, and democratic Turkey in the Republic's second century, the former youth leaders declared their full backing for the current youth organization's determination. "As former colleagues who held this position in the past, we express that we stand with them with the same sense of responsibility. We will continue to grow the struggle for an equal, free, and democratic Turkey. Just as yesterday, so today; we stand with our Chairman Özgür Özel, with our organization, and with the will of the people. We will fight together. We will succeed together. And we will walk to power together," they concluded.

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Just as yesterday, so today; we stand with our Chairman Özgür Özel, with our organization, and with the will of the people. We will fight together. We will succeed together. And we will walk to power together.