CHP’s incumbent head Kılıçdaroğlu retains most executive board members

Following its 37th ordinary meeting last month, the main opposition Republican People's Party's (CHP) reelected incumbent Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu determined the party's Central Executive Board (MYK) Sunday.

Kılıçdaroğlu mostly kept his previous MYK, consisting of 16 people, with the addition of four new names to the board from within the members of the party's assembly.

In the new MYK, Oğuz Kaan Salıcı kept his position as the deputy chairman, who is responsible for organizational management. Similarly, Faik Öztrak also retained his position as the party's spokesperson.

Selin Sayek Böke has been appointed the secretary-general of the party. This is an important step since the last time the CHP appointed a woman secretary-general was back in 2010, with Bihlun Tamaylıgil, which lasted for four years.

Five out of 16 members of the new board are women, while 14 of them are deputies in Parliament.

Along with Böke, Ali Öztunç, Ahmet Akın and Taşkın Yüksel have become other new names on the board. Seyit Torun, Fethi Açıkel, Onursal Adıgüzel, Veli Ağbaba, Muharrem Erkek, Gamze Akkuş Ilgezdi, Bülent Kuşoğlu and Lale Karabıyık also retained their positions on the new board.

Gökçe Gökçen has been appointed as the deputy chairman responsible for youth-related policies, while Gülizar Bıçer Karaca has become the deputy chairman responsible for human rights. As Ahmet Akın became the deputy chairman responsible for the energy and infrastructure projects, Ali Öztunç has been appointed to the position of deputy chairman responsible for nature and environmental regulations. The position of deputy chairman responsible for press and media, which was previously held by Tuncay Özkan, however, has been left empty for now.

Failing to reach the number of signatures needed to be candidates for the chairman position, CHP figures challenging Kılıçdaroğlu could not run in the intraparty election last month, leading to a new period with Kılıçdaroğlu at the helm.

Dissidents have long criticized Kılıçdaroğlu for pursuing a low profile and weak opposition to the government, as well as undermining the CHP’s fundamental republican values. Prominent figures have also slammed Kılıçdaroğlu for failing to step down despite not having won an election in almost a decade. His choice of young and female candidates for the party assembly follows the ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AK Party) precedent and Turkey’s shifting population dynamics.