The exchange marks one of the most significant public rifts between the current and former leadership of the country’s primary opposition movement. The controversy centers on claims made by Kılıçdaroğlu regarding the vetting process of municipal candidates and the alleged influence of the so-called "gang of five"—a term frequently used in Turkish politics to describe a group of holding companies that have secured massive public tenders.
Özgür Özel Criticizes Kılıçdaroğlu Over Cemil Tugay: "If He Knew, Why Didn’t He Expel Him?"
The primary catalyst for the day’s heated remarks was a statement attributed to Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu regarding Cemil Tugay, the former Karşıyaka Mayor who recently joined the ranks of the ruling AK Party. According to reports, Kılıçdaroğlu suggested that during the leadership handover, he had warned Özel about Tugay’s purported connections to influential business interests and advised against his candidacy.
Özgür Özel, visibly frustrated by these assertions, did not mince words when asked for his response. "I read the transcripts this morning and I could not believe them," Özel stated. "It is a shameful situation. This is simply too much. I feel compelled to explain the reality of that period with total transparency."
Özel categorically denied that any such warning took place during the formal transition of power. He emphasized that during the handover ceremony, the names of specific mayors were never brought up, nor were there any directives regarding who should or should not be nominated for the upcoming local elections.
"If he is claiming, ‘On the day of the handover, I explained the Karşıyaka Municipality’s relationship with the gang of five and said do not make him a candidate,’ then I have a question: Who was the General Chairman the day before that handover? It was you," Özel said, addressing Kılıçdaroğlu. "If you knew about these alleged ties, why did you not expel the Karşıyaka Mayor? Why did you not send him to the disciplinary committee? Why did you not do what was necessary? Why, then, did you leave this problem for us to deal with? During the handover, the name of a single mayor was never mentioned. I have never in my life heard a lie that has caused me such profound shame."
I Did Not Reveal His Falsehoods Earlier
The tension between the two leaders appears to stem from a deeper disagreement over the party’s internal culture and the veracity of private conversations held during the leadership change. Özel suggested that the current narrative being pushed by the former chairman’s circle is part of a broader effort to undermine the party’s standing, particularly in strategic strongholds like Izmir.
Expanding on his defense, Özel recounted interactions with other municipal leaders to illustrate what he described as a pattern of misinformation. He cited the case of Alper Taşdelen, the former Mayor of Çankaya, who had approached him following the leadership change.
"The former Çankaya Mayor, Mr. Alper, came to me and said, ‘The General Chairman told me that he spoke to you about my continuation in office. What do you think?’ I had to tell him, ‘Forgive me, Mayor Alper, but he said no such thing,’" Özel explained. He alleged that Kılıçdaroğlu had told several mayors that he had advocated for their positions when, in fact, those conversations never occurred.
Özel noted that he had previously chosen to remain silent on these discrepancies to maintain party unity and protect the dignity of the office of the General Chairman. However, he claimed that the recent "servicing of rumors to trolls"—specifically regarding the situation in Kartal and Karşıyaka—was an attempt to discredit the party’s new leadership in the eyes of the Izmir electorate.
"I am ashamed to even say that a former General Chairman is lying," Özel continued. "But today, he has come out and repeated rumors that were previously fed to trolls, attempting to provoke people by swapping Kartal for Karşıyaka. This is an attempt to make us lose prestige in Izmir. I am disgusted by having to read and hear this. It is a complete and total lie. To say ‘I told them this’ is a lie. To say ‘I told them that’ is a lie."
Addressing the broader political landscape, Özel suggested that the former leadership must accept the will of the party members and the public. "The nation gave us the mandate. You are in this position now, and you must learn to endure it. As a party that has seen its support fluctuate at the 1% or 2% level in certain contexts, you should not stoop to such tactics," he said. He did, however, concede that in the past, Kılıçdaroğlu had remained silent when warned about controversial figures in Istanbul during Central Executive Board (MYK) meetings, only to nominate those same figures on the final day of the selection process.
The Fund Crisis and the Call for Resignation
Shifting his focus from internal party disputes to national governance, Özel addressed what he termed the "fund crisis," a financial scandal that has reportedly sent shockwaves through the ruling administration. He pointed to the recent public appearances of AK Party Spokesperson Ömer Çelik as evidence of a government in a state of panic.
"The government’s chemistry has been disrupted by this fund crisis," Özel remarked. "It is clear who is bothered by this. If you watched Ömer Çelik, you saw the panic, the body language, the tension, and the anxiety of those who are guilty. They said they are now in a state of ‘legal and political high alert.’ Immediately after that statement, two journalists were arrested."
The New Party leader criticized the judicial handling of the case, specifically mentioning the role of an official referred to as Fatma Hanım. He questioned the logic of "judicial control" and the partial repayment of funds, arguing that such measures have no place in a true democracy or a state governed by the rule of law.
"Is there a ‘door of repentance’ in a constitutional state?" Özel asked rhetorically. "The fund crisis is not just a financial issue; it is a state crisis. If President Erdoğan was involved in this, he must resign immediately and be held accountable. If this was done by the ministers, deputy chairmen, bureaucrats, and appointees right under his nose, then he has lost the ability to govern. In either case, the only solution is to bring the ballot box before the people."
Özel concluded this portion of his remarks by demanding full transparency regarding the individuals involved in the scandal. He called for the immediate release of the list of names associated with the fund. "If Minister Mahinur [Göktaş] is seeing this list to check it, why is the nation not allowed to see it to hold people accountable? They must announce the list and let this matter be settled."
Victims of the Train Station Massacre Commemorated
Before addressing the political firestorms of the day, Özgür Özel joined hundreds of citizens and political representatives to mark the 11th anniversary of the Ankara Train Station massacre. The event remains the deadliest terror attack in modern Turkish history, and the atmosphere at the site was one of somber reflection.
The commemoration began with a silent march from the Ulus Metro station to the front of the Ankara Train Station. The procession included family members of the victims, representatives from various political parties, and civil society organizations. Among the high-profile attendees were Özel and DEM Party Co-Chair Tülay Hatimoğulları, along with several members of parliament.
At precisely 10:04 AM—the exact moment the first bomb detonated eleven years ago—the crowd observed a moment of silence to honor those lost. Following the silence, the names of the 104 citizens killed in the attack were read aloud one by one, with the crowd responding "He/She is here" after each name.
The anniversary served as a backdrop for Özel’s broader message on justice and accountability. While the ceremony focused on the victims of the 2015 tragedy, the subsequent press conference highlighted the ongoing struggles for political transparency and the deep-seated divisions currently defining the Turkish political landscape. As the "fund crisis" continues to unfold and internal party tensions remain high, the statements made by the New Party leader in Ankara suggest a period of intensifying political confrontation in the weeks ahead.
