Turkey AK Party deputy says Atatürk would expel current CHP leaders

At a Kütahya AK Party meeting, Deputy Chairman for Culture and Arts Hüseyin Yayman criticised the CHP’s internal “mutlak butlan” dispute, stating, “If Atatürk were alive, he would expel everyone currently in the party’s leadership.” He framed the controversy as a CHP‑only matter and linked it to broader issues such as the “terror‑free Turkey” project.

An accompanying opinion piece reflected on the CHP’s history, arguing that the party’s legitimacy has always stemmed from its congresses rather than court rulings. It traced the party’s democratic traditions from its founding by Atatürk through successive leaders, emphasizing that recent internal conflicts are part of a long‑standing democratic culture within the party.