Turkey's CHP grapples with internal clash over 'traitor Kemal' slogan and branding shift

A post by CHP MP Muhip Kanko featuring the slogan “hain Kemal” sparked condemnation from party members, including Özgür Özel and party spokesperson Tarhan, who called the wording a disrespect to Atatürk and demanded its removal, saying “Makamlar geçici, karakter kalıcıdır.”

At the same time, the party altered its visual identity, reverting to its traditional blue‑red colour scheme after briefly using a white‑background “Turkey’s first party” card. The change prompted discussion about the party’s claim of being the “first party” following its 34.5% vote share in recent local elections, with spokesperson Müslim Sarı warning against attributing success solely to the current leadership.