Head of CHP’s İzmir branch resigns from post

“I have made this decision entirely because of differences of opinion and a divergence of manners of work, and because I have deliberated that I will not be able to be useful to my party anymore in this environment,” Yüksel said in a written statement announcing his resignation Aug. 10.

“I have resigned from my post as president of the CHP İzmir branch. The reason for this is not a discussion made with our chairperson. Such a discussion did not take place - it is fiction. While Turkey has been passing through such an extraordinary period, as it has been the case along each period, I have taken pains to distance myself from inter-party discussions during this period as well,” Yüksel said.

Back in early 2005, the-then CHP headquarters dismissed the İzmir branch executive board, together with its then-president Yüksel, after a controversial extraordinary party congress. At the time, Yüksel was criticized for having supported former CHP deputy Zülfü Livaneli, who had resigned from the party in protest against the dismissal of the İzmir executive board, for the party leadership.