CHP Leader Özgür Özel Calls Protest March a Fight for a Neglected Nation in Eskişehir

At a party group meeting in Eskişehir, Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi (CHP) leader Özgür Özel urged participants to view their march as a struggle for a nation that has been ignored, humiliated and oppressed. He criticised the ruling AK Party’s handling of the economy, saying millions are living below the poverty line, and framed the gathering as a collective effort across streets, towns and villages to build a new politics for Turkey.

Özel recalled the July 2 Madımak massacre in Sivas and the Başbağlar massacre, pledging to keep their memory alive and to press for legislation establishing July 2 as a day of remembrance. He highlighted meetings with locals in Kastamonu, Zonguldak and Karabük, emphasizing dialogue with workers, traders and women to present solutions to their concerns.