The New Party (YP), founded by Özgür Özel after his departure from the Republican People's Party (CHP), began setting up offices across the country last Friday. As the party seeks to attract voters, its chairperson, Özgür Özel, found himself in hot water, at least among some supporters, after a video showing him performing Islamic ablution circulated on social media.
The video shows the YP chair washing his face, arms, feet and head, following the rules of the Islamic ritual required before performing prayers almost to perfection. Some of Özel's supporters accused him of resorting to a ploy to attract conservative voters, who have traditionally favored the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) over the CHP, which advocates a more secular ideology and seeks to keep religion out of the public sphere. Before establishing the YP, Özel pledged to adhere to his former party's ideological principles while also seeking to appeal to a broader cross-section of voters.
Some social media users claimed the video was a public relations stunt, while the YP released a statement saying it had been recorded before the party's foundation by a supporter during Özel's visit to the northern city of Kastamonu. The party said it had not approved the video's release and insisted that Özel was unaware he was being filmed while performing ablution. Özel's staunch supporters said the video was quite natural and highlighted the everyman image of the chairperson.
Özel was also photographed praying at the tomb of a Muslim mystic in Ankara on the day the party was founded, an image that contrasted with an earlier video showing him drinking rakı beside the grave of a former lawmaker, footage that had angered many pious Turks.
Whether it was a PR stunt or not, Özel will need as much voter support as possible ahead of the 2028 general election, his first major electoral test as leader of the YP and of the country's main opposition party.
His lieutenants met with journalists on Thursday to discuss the party's road map. Party Secretary-General Yunus Emre said the party's headquarters had not yet been fully opened and would be ready within a month. YP Deputy Chair Ensar Aytekin told reporters that branches would be established in 60 provinces and their districts by the end of next week.
