New Party to shape leadership at first convention

ANKARA

The Main opposition New Party will hold its first ordinary convention on Nov. 14-15 under the slogan “Türkiye is renewing,” with party leader Özgür Özel expected to seek a new mandate as its sole candidate.

A total of 1,202 delegates will vote in the leadership election on the first day of the event, which will also feature a speech by Özel outlining the party’s political priorities and proposals.

A video prepared for the convention will cover the arrest of presidential candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu, operations against municipalities, a court ruling to reinstate the former Republican People’s Party (CHP) leadership and the process leading to New Party’s establishment.

Özel is expected to address İmamoğlu’s case in detail and outline proposals to tackle Türkiye’s problems in areas including the economy, the rule of law, health care and education. He is also expected to explain the party’s position on the Kurdish issue.

The first day will conclude after the leadership vote. Delegates will vote on the second day to elect members of the Party Assembly and the High Disciplinary Board.

The 150-member Party Assembly, the party’s top decision-making body, will comprise three groups: A legislative group made up of 77 lawmakers, representatives of party organizations and a policy development group consisting of experts and academics.

Meanwhile, 258 former lawmakers, including former ministers who previously served in parliament under different political parties, announced their decision to join New Party in a joint statement on Nov. 12. They are also expected to attend the convention and show their support for Özel.

New Party has sent invitations to 27 political parties for its founding congress but has not invited the CHP, according to reports.

The guest list is also expected to include representatives of the Socialist International, the Party of European Socialists and the Progressive Alliance, as well as members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and representatives of political groups in the European Parliament.

Representatives of social democratic and socialist parties from Europe and elsewhere, political parties and organizations established by Turkish citizens abroad, and foreign embassies and diplomatic missions have also been invited.

The emerging opposition movement was established by Özel after he left the CHP along with 90 lawmakers.

His departure came two months after an Ankara court annulled the CHP’s 2023 leadership election over alleged irregularities, removing Özel as party chair and reinstating former leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu.