NEW Party Chairman Özgür Özel met with party members in the district chairmanship primary election held in Gaziemir district of Izmir.
Giving messages about democracy within the party, organization, economy, problems experienced by retirees and government goals, Özel said that the management staff of the NEW Party will be determined by the will of the members.
Stating that they made this promise to their members at the establishment of the party, Özel said, "We made a promise to our nation during the establishment of the NEW Party. We said that the district president, provincial president and chairman will be elected by the members. We are happy to put this promise into practice."
Özel stated that the members went to the polls in the districts of Izmir at the same time and said, "Currently, all members in every district of Izmir are holding district congresses and determining the future of the district. NEW Party is our new home, the new hope of Turkey. We are those who came together for the future of Turkey, are bound to each other by the law of brotherhood, do not leave anyone behind, do not surrender, do not deviate from the goal of power."
“THE HEADQUARTERS HAVE NO SIDE”
Reminding that two candidates competed in Gaziemir, Özel said that the concept of winner and loser should be left behind after the election.
Özel, who wanted the two candidates to form a joint administration after the election, said:
"Under normal circumstances, Çağrı and Orkun would compete and one of them would win. The other list would remain out of the administration and perhaps the separation in this election would last for a long time. Today, you will say to one of the two good guys, one of the two young, dynamic people, 'You be our district president', but the duty of the winner will be to take the other's arm."
Stating that the two candidates will come together on Monday and shape the district administration together, Özel said, "They will form the district administration together, which does not exclude labor, represents all colors of Gaziemir and will make the NEW Party the government."
Giving a message about the multi-candidate elections, Özel emphasized that the Headquarters does not support any candidate and said, "As the Chairman, my candidate and my district president are whoever the members choose. The Headquarters does not have a side or a candidate."
“THE AGE OF THE OLD AND OBSOLETE IS GONE BEHIND”
Stating that the primary elections will be made official with congresses next week, Özel stated that members will have a say at all levels of the party management.
Arguing that Turkey needs a new understanding of politics, Özel said, "The old politics was not good for workers, retirees, tradesmen, farmers, women. Turkey now needs a new energy, young politics. It needs a clean slate, a new beginning."
Stating that the budget of the party was created with the contributions of the members, Özel said, "The nation founded our party, named it by the nation, and our nation created its budget with donations. No matter what those against us do, no matter what conspiracies they resort to, we will not recognize any power above the nation. I call out to Turkey from Gaziemir; the era of the old, the obsolete, the aged is behind us. The new politics is marching to power."
“OUR NUMBER OF MEMBERS REACHED 723 THOUSAND”
Providing information about the organizational efforts of the NEW Party, Özel said that the number of party members reached 723 thousand. Stating that they are organized in 81 provinces of Turkey, Özel stated that the organization has been completed in 870 districts.
Özel said, "The NEW Party is the main opposition party on the day it was founded, was the first party in the surveys, reached 600 thousand members in 18 days, reached 723 thousand members in the first district congress, is the only party that can collect dues online, and covers all its expenses only with the contributions it receives from its members, not from the business world."
“WE WILL EXPERIENCE DEMOCRACY IN OUR OWN PARTY FIRST”
Reminding the seven basic goals they shared with the public at the provincial heads meeting, Özel said that the first of these was "democratic Türkiye".
Özel said, "We will first experience the democracy we promised Turkey in our own party. We promise Turkey a fair and free country. We promise justice in income, taxes and social life."
Explaining the goal of "Productive Türkiye", Özel said that the NEW Party is not against capital, but defends qualified employment. Stating that they want companies and factories to work more efficiently, Özel stated that the income should be shared with a fair tax system.
Özel said, "We defend a strong Turkey with its army, economy, justice and passport. Our promise to the young people who are full members of the EU is that we undertake the unity of Türkiye without bans and Europe without visas."
HE DRAW ATTENTION TO THE PROBLEMS EXPERIENCED BY PENSIONERS
Emphasizing the social state, Özel said that citizens should feel the support of the state in difficult times such as unemployment and illness.
Stating that they advocate a system where everyone has a basic income, where no child starts life from behind, and where housewives are provided with social security, Özel also touched upon the economic problems of retirees.
Stating that retirees are faced with financial difficulties, Özel said, "NEW Party has been talking about retirees in every meeting and rally for a long time. The greatest injustice in the history of world politics has been done to retirees who have callouses on their fingers, enlarged glasses and who are told 'Don't work, we will take care of you from now on'."
Stating that the minimum pension is 23 thousand liras, Özel said, "We see the disappointment of the retirees. We say that precautions must be taken against this. Such injustice and such disloyalty are not good for the retirees."
"WE WILL EVENTUALLY DEFEAT THE AKP'S BLACK ORDER"
Criticizing AKP's economic and social policies, Özel said that young people are worried about the future and a significant portion of them are considering living abroad.
Özel said, "We will establish a country that offers a future to its children. We will destroy the black order of the AKP, which has brought young people to this point. We will establish an order in which positions are considered entrusted."
Özel pointed out the problems experienced by retirees and low-income citizens and said, "We will eventually defeat the AKP's black order."
“IF I DON'T WIN THE ELECTION, I WILL LEAVE OFFICE”
Explaining that there will be a term limit for the names serving in the party, Özel said that the managers will leave their duties to new names after two or three terms.
Stating that he has made a "single term" rule for himself, Özel said, "There is only one person who is not subject to this rule, and that is me. The single term rule. If I cannot make the party the ruling party and the first party in the election I enter, I will leave office that day."
Özel addressed the party organizations and said that the organizations have the greatest responsibility in realizing the goals they set for Türkiye.
“IT IS THE OPPOSITION THAT TELLS THE PROBLEM, IT IS THE GOVERNMENT THAT TELLS THE SOLUTION”
Özel asked the provincial and district organizations to carry out a political study that not only expresses the problems but also shares the solution suggestions with the citizens, and explained that they prepared the government program by visiting 36 provinces.
Özel, who wanted solutions and election promises specific to each district to be created, said, "The most important duty of our district organizations is to explain how the party will solve the problems, neighborhood by neighborhood, village by village, and to talk about election promises specific to the district."
Özel said, "It is the opposition that explains the problem. We have done that for years. It is the government that tells the solution. Now it is the government's turn."
“WE WILL ESTABLISH DEMOCRACY IN OUR HOME FIRST”
Stating that the direct election of district presidents by members will create strong political actors in the local area, Özel said that they will not allow this power to be used for personal interests.
Özel said, "My word is outside the parliament; when the district heads to whom we have given this power try to use this power in favor of themselves and their team, the chairman will be right in front of them."
Stating that the NEW Party is open to different social segments, Özel said, "NEW Party is the NEW party of social democrats and Atatürkists. However, NEW Party is the party of conservatives, nationalists, Kurds, liberal democrats, and those who have no problems with this country, nation and Atatürk."
Stating that they will form neighborhood councils, Özel said that the opinions of the citizens will be carried from neighborhoods to districts, from districts to Izmir and Ankara.
Stating that the old understanding of politics was established "top-down", Özel stated that the NEW Party advocates an approach that communicates with the citizens "at eye level" and does politics on the street.
“WE HAVE TO FORGET ABOUT LOOSING”
At the end of his speech, Özel addressed the party organization through the goal of power and said that the demand for change has grown following the defeats in the past elections.
