Turkey’s main opposition party is recalibrating its political strategy, reviving a discourse of 'normalization' in a calculated bid to dismantle the country’s deep-seated polarization and lure voters from the governing alliance.
During a closed-door parliamentary group meeting on Jan. 5, Chair Özgür Özel reportedly signaled a shift away from combativeness. 'We have no issue with the grassroots of the People’s Alliance,' Özel told lawmakers. 'We must sustain normalization by abandoning the language of conflict.'
The CHP administration, headed by Özel, believes that a confrontational tone and harsh rhetoric ultimately serve the interests of the government. By softening its language, the CHP aims to bridge the gap with voters who traditionally support the ruling AKP and its ally MHP.
However, the path to detente remains fraught with skepticism. When asked by reporters on Jan. 6 whether a genuine rapprochement with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was possible, Özel placed the onus on the palace.
'If Mr. Erdoğan normalizes, we will normalize,' Özel said. 'But they will not, because they thrive on conflict.'
The strategic shift follows a directive from Özel last week, urging CHP-run municipalities to invite AKP and MHP officials to all public opening ceremonies. The move recalls a previous attempt at 'softening' political tensions following the CHP’s victory in the 2024 local elections. That process, marked by rare face-to-face meetings between Özel and Erdoğan, eventually collapsed in the fall after failing to produce concrete political concessions and drawing ire from the opposition’s own base.
This was not the first time the CHP has attempted to cross the aisle. Özel’s predecessor, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, launched a 'reconciliation journey' in 2021, acknowledging past party errors in an effort to make peace with conservative voters.
BREAKING THE 34% CEILING
The return to a milder tone comes as political analysts describe a 'gridlock' in Turkish politics. Despite the country's economic woes, recent polling suggests a stagnant electorate.
According to reporting by Gülsen Solaker of DW Turkish, most surveys show the CHP stuck within a 33% to 34% margin. While the party consistently ranks first in potential general election scenarios, it has struggled to achieve a decisive lead or create the political momentum necessary to govern alone.
'Being the first party is not enough because the margin is too narrow,' political insiders frequently note.
The CHP administration is betting that a 'normal' political language will make the public more receptive to their policy proposals. By refusing to engage in the government's preferred 'strategy of polarization,' the party hopes to bypass ideological barriers, Solaker reported.
'When we refrain from producing politics within the framework of harsh rhetoric, the public pays more attention to us,' Özel reportedly told his deputies. 'As our language hardens, polarization increases, which is exactly the government's strategy. Therefore, let us explain our actions and projects in a normal manner.'
