CHP Chairman Özgür Özel has intensified his campaign for a mid-term election, arguing that the current administration is avoiding the ballot box despite a constitutional obligation to fill vacant parliamentary seats. During a visit to the Democratic Party headquarters to meet with Gültekin Uysal, Özel framed the demand for a vote not merely as a political strategy, but as a test of democratic legitimacy.
The central pillar of Özel’s argument is a historical and legal irony: he claims that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan mevcudiyetini ara seçime borçludur—that Erdoğan owes his very presence in power to a mid-term election. This assertion links the current political deadlock to the specific legal mechanisms that allowed Erdoğan to enter parliament and assume the premiership decades ago.
The call for a vote comes amid a climate of high tension in several Turkish provinces, including Aydın, Bursa, Gaziosmanpaşa, and Bayrampaşa. Özel alleges that the government has used judicial pressure and “transfer” tactics to replace elected mayors with Justice and Development Party (AK Parti) appointees, creating a volatile atmosphere that can only be resolved through a public mandate.
The Constitutional Battle Over Vacant Seats
At the heart of the dispute is Article 78 of the Turkish Constitution, which governs by-elections (ara seçim). Özel argues that the government is intentionally ignoring the law to avoid a potential loss of support in key districts. He specifically pointed to the “30-month rule,” noting that the restriction preventing mid-term elections during the first 30 months of a legislative term has already expired.
According to Özel, the refusal to hold these elections is an admission of “political exhaustion.” He contends that the administration is terrified of facing voters in regions where they previously led, such as Afyon, Kırıkkale, Kastamonu, and Hatay, fearing they can no longer secure a first-place finish.
The CHP leader further criticized the government’s response to the local election results, claiming that the administration is attempting to take “revenge” for its losses by launching operations against winning municipalities rather than accepting the democratic will of the people.
The Siirt Precedent and Erdoğan’s Political Path
To support his claim that the presidency is indebted to the mid-term process, Özel detailed a specific historical sequence involving the province of Siirt. He noted that in 2002, a legal amendment was added to the constitution stating that if all members of parliament for a specific province grow vacant, a mid-term election must be held on the first Sunday following 90 days.
This specific legal window was critical for Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Having faced a political ban due to a prior conviction, he was unable to run in the general elections. However, through the subsequent mid-term election in Siirt—facilitated by the very laws the government is now accused of ignoring—Erdoğan secured a seat in parliament, which paved the way for him to become Prime Minister.
Özel highlighted a stark contradiction: in June 2002, even as in the opposition, the AK Parti submitted a legislative proposal demanding mid-term elections as a “constitutional necessity.” Today, the party in power maintains that such elections are not on their agenda.
| Period | Action/Event | Legal/Political Context |
|---|---|---|
| June 2002 | AK Parti Proposal | Demanded mid-term elections as a constitutional necessity while in opposition. |
| Dec 2002 | Constitutional Amendment | Added clause for elections when a province’s seats are entirely vacant. |
| 2002-2003 | Siirt By-Election | Erdoğan enters parliament via mid-term vote, enabling his premiership. |
| Present | CHP Demand | Claims 30-month restriction has passed; demands filling vacant seats. |
Judicial Pressure and the “Invisible” Directives
Beyond the electoral debate, Özel raised alarms regarding the independence of the judiciary, specifically targeting the Ministry of Justice. He alleged that prosecutors are receiving informal directives from Ankara to find “any rumor or tip-off” to justify operations against opposition municipalities.
The CHP leader cited the recent case of the Bornova Mayor, who was summoned for questioning and nearly detained over a minor personnel issue involving “bankamatik” employees—staff who receive salaries without actively working. Özel argued that if such administrative irregularities were grounds for arrest, many AK Parti mayors would face similar legal peril.
He described the presence of Justice Minister Akın Gürlek as an “unbearable burden” on judicial trust, suggesting that the public no longer views government-led operations as purely legal proceedings, but as political maneuvers designed to intimidate local leaders.
Economic Strain and the Call for Social Support
The meeting with the Democratic Party also touched upon the immediate economic crisis facing Turkish citizens. Özel linked rising energy costs to geopolitical instability, specifically citing the impact of U.S. And Israeli actions toward Iran on global oil prices.
He noted that a 25% increase in electricity costs, combined with natural gas hikes, has triggered a new wave of inflation. To mitigate this, Özel proposed several urgent measures:
- Immediate “mid-term” wage increases for retirees and laborers to offset inflation.
- State protection packages for SMEs and small tradesmen to prevent a surge in unemployment.
- The implementation of a “Political Ethics Law” requiring the transparent public disclosure of assets for all high-ranking officials, including the President and Ministers.
These proposals, which Özel says align with international transparency standards such as the GRECO criteria, are intended to restore public faith in the state’s financial and moral integrity.
The political trajectory now rests on whether the Grand National Assembly will act on the constitutional requirement to fill vacant seats or if the government will continue to maintain that mid-term elections are not on the agenda. The next critical checkpoint will be the Assembly’s upcoming session, where the opposition is expected to formally push for the scheduling of these votes.
We invite our readers to share their views on the constitutional necessity of mid-term elections in the comments below.
