Özgür Özel and his allies are planning to submit a founding application to the Turkish Ministry of the Interior on either 20 or 24 July, following a court of appeal ruling that removed them from the leadership of the Republican People's Party (CHP). The party's name is expected to be finalised next week and is considered likely to include the word "Freedom."
The significance of the dates
Both dates carry strong political and symbolic weight, according to Bülent Tezcan, former coordinator of the CHP's Presidential Candidacy Office. The 20th of July marks the anniversary of Turkey's 1974 military intervention in Cyprus, which Ankara refers to as the "Peace Operation," while 24 July marks the anniversary of the Treaty of Lausanne. Tezcan described both dates as connected to CHP governments and to what he termed Turkey's "anti-imperialist course."
Particular significance is attached to 20 July, as Bülent Ecevit, then Prime Minister and CHP leader, was in office when the decision was taken to launch the military operation in Cyprus in 1974.
Legal and parliamentary considerations
The founding process is also being accelerated due to the start of the judicial recess on 20 July, as Özel's appeal to the Supreme Court may not be heard until after 26 July. In parallel, the Özel camp is exploring the possibility of utilising two existing parties, one of which already holds electoral participation rights.
Parliamentary representation in sight
Gül Çiftçi, a member of Özel's legal team, stated that the aim is to ensure the participation of the social democratic bloc in the next elections. The group is also considering having between two and five members of parliament join the new party in order to secure parliamentary representation and greater public recognition.
