ISTANBUL — Surprised by the defeat in the Sunday's elections, the Republican People's Party (CHP) is increasingly open to a general convention to choose another leader as internal tension within the party heightens. Dilek Akagün Yılmaz, the party's neo-nationalist parliamentarian from Uşak, noted she does not consider the recent elections a success. "Grievances should be aired after determining the causal factors," said Yılmaz, who observed that choosing a leader might be on the agenda prior to the presidential elections to be held in the summer.

Criticizing the party's failure to use democratic principles to choose a new leader, Yılmaz said the process to determine the candidates was very harmful as it destroyed the CHP's stance along with its energy. "There were requests for a primary election," said the parliamentarian, who explained that the working procedures should be reviewed and a different organizational framework should be adopted.

Yılmaz also touched on the damage done by the perception that the Gülen Movement and the CHP cooperated. "The CHP should be more explicit in its ideological discourse, and we should emphasize the concept of a social democratic municipal administration," Yılmaz said, arguing that doing this would allow for ideological clarity as well as improve permanent methods for determining candidates.

Arguing that it is necessary to hold a convention to determine the next leader, Yılmaz emphasized the convention must be inclusive and candidates must not be afraid to criticize themselves. "A convention means a renewal, and it should not be misinterpreted. It is a place where our party will spring to life," said Yılmaz, who indicated that she would share her ideas with Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, the leader of the CHP. Support for choosing a new leader increased after local elections in which the CHP did poorly throughout the country and its support base mostly reduced to the western coasts of Turkey. Currently, there is a remarkable schism within the party as it accepted Mustafa Sarıgül as a candidate running for the mayoral seat in Istanbul.

Sarıgül was a former party member who was expelled on corruption charges and his readmission was criticized by many. On the other hand, the party nominated Mansur Yavaş, a former Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) member as the candidate running for the mayoral seat in Ankara, who was also criticized for switching parties.

In Antalya, CHP candidate Mustafa Akaydın, the former mayor of the city, is currently being accused of corruption charges and allegations he attempted to burn a number of official documents after he lost the recent local elections. He is also accused of being a supporter of the Gülen Movement.

Although the party's votes increased in Ankara, Istanbul and Hatay compared to the 2009 local elections, many argue that this is mostly because of candidates transferred to the party from right-wing factions, as was the case with Yavaş. Some analysts also suggest the party took a serious risk in establishing a coalition with the Gülen Movement based on the conjuncture of anti-AK Party sentiments and left behind the inherent social-democratic identity of the party, which did not increase the CHP's votes or decrease AK Party votes.