The Republican People's Party's (CHP) current and previous leaders are fighting over the kind of politics that the movement should embrace in the future.

CHP Chair Özgür Özel, who gave an interview to Sabah following the March 31 municipal elections, pledged to respect the office of the president and added that he would be willing to meet President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the Presidential Complex. Shortly after that, Özel sipped tea with the president at the National Sovereignty and Children's Day reception.

Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, Özel's predecessor, has since opposed this new approach that promotes dialogue and negotiation. Insisting that the CHP should "fight as opposed to negotiate with the palace," he criticized the movement's current leader for not questioning the government's legitimacy.

The most recent clash between the successor and the predecessor represents more than a war of words over negotiation versus struggle. It is about rival perspectives on the CHP's brand of politics after the 2019, 2023 and 2024 elections. Perhaps more importantly, it is a confrontation between opposite views regarding the party's path until the 2028 presidential and parliamentary elections.

Kılıçdaroğlu criticizes successor's shift

Kılıçdaroğlu remains determined to criticize his successor's pursuit of a new political platform. Some of his remarks in recent interviews with multiple reporters seemingly reflected his view that this new approach will undermine the CHP. Specifically, the former Republican leader argued that the Constitution cannot be amended at Erdoğan's request, reiterating that the government is already violating the Constitution.

Moreover, he made no effort to hide the fact that he is primarily concerned about the opportunities that the state of the Turkish economy and deepening polarization could create for the CHP. Claiming that Erdoğan is looking for a "partner" to assume some of the responsibility for the "harsh decisions" he will make about the economy, Kılıçdaroğlu raised the following point: "The way out of polarization goes through the nation's welfare. ... One should highlight the problems of pensioners, laborers, civil servants and millions of workers. Polarization shall end once one addresses their problems."

Based on the above remarks, Kılıçdaroğlu believes that the CHP stands to benefit from polarization. Having united the opposition under Republican leadership by making harsh and polarizing statements ahead of the 2019 and 2023 elections, he ostensibly does not want the opposition bloc to disintegrate due to de-escalating political tensions. Indeed, there is reason to believe that the former CHP chairperson takes credit for the outcome of the 2024 municipal elections and remains concerned that Erdoğan could have enough room for maneuvering to influence the CHP and others. Hence, he recommends that the Republicans adopt a polarizing approach to opposition that focuses on economic challenges and actively fights the government.

Although Özgür Özel has not directly criticized that idea, Murat Karayalçın, a seasoned CHP politician, promptly voiced an alternative opinion. Accordingly, Karayalçın supports "negotiations" due to the debt stock of CHP-controlled municipalities, the need for the Treasury to offer guarantees for municipal projects, the need to work together for urban renewal, and the constitutional reform process offering the CHP access to the masses.

Redefining strategy

This new approach effectively acknowledges that the CHP lost the 2023 general elections and cannot win the 2028 elections by following in Kılıçdaroğlu's footsteps. Indeed, it would be problematic to link the CHP's success in the 2024 municipal elections with that harsh and polarizing brand of politics. On the contrary, the CHP benefited from the absence of a national election and a polarizing main theme. Since the turnout rate was exceptionally low and the electorate was determined to punish the Justice and Development Party (AK Party), it makes sense for the CHP and the AK Party to "rekindle politics." Specifically, the constitutional reform debate could create a basis for that approach.

At a time when the political debate on Türkiye's future and direction regains importance, Turkish politics cannot be shaped around the AK Party and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) exclusively. What other political parties with parliamentary seats, starting with the pro-PKK Green Left Party (YSP), informally known as the Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), a successor of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), end up (not) doing, too, will be significant. In this sense, the CHP creates a synthesis of negotiation and struggle to successfully manage its municipalities and signal that it can govern the country.

It remains to be seen whether Özel will reach his goal or Kılıçdaroğlu's polarizing brand of politics, which points at public squares, shall prevail.