05 May 2017•Update: 05 May 2017
By Meltem Ozturk
ANKARA
A former challenger for the leadership of Turkey’s biggest opposition group, the CHP, called on Friday for an extraordinary congress to “refresh” the party.
Republican People’s Party (CHP) lawmaker Ince, flanked by 13 other members of parliament, told reporters in Ankara the CHP needed to refresh itself as well as change its program, rhetoric and management mentality.
Some in the party have been critical of CHP leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu over decisions made during last month’s campaign against wide-ranging constitutional changes.
Turkish voters narrowly endorsed an executive presidency in an April 16 referendum. The CHP had campaigned for a No vote.
The party has sharply criticized the conduct of the referendum, particularly a Supreme Board of Elections (YSK) decision to count unsealed ballot papers.
Speaking on Friday, Ince hit out at the CHP’s party management for not warning polling clerks about unsealed ballot papers after the YSK announcement.
He said the party should now work to embrace the “51 percent of Turkey” who voted Yes.
On Wednesday, the CHP decided to call an ordinary party congress to elect the party’s new leader.
Kemal Kilicdaroglu has led the CHP since 2010. At the last year’s party congress, Kilicdaroglu was the only candidate for leader, winning 990 votes from 1,238 party assembly members.
In 2014, Kilicdaroglu was challenged by Ince for the leadership but was re-elected.
However, on Friday, Ince said: “If we want democracy in Turkey, first we need democracy in our party.”
