Erdoğan and Özel Clash Through the Press: “Are You Not Ashamed to Criticize Your Country Abroad?”

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and CHP leader Özgür Özel traded sharp barbs over the weekend, escalating a heated political feud that now spans both domestic and international stages. Erdoğan accused Özel of “defaming Turkey before foreigners,” while Özel, speaking at a rally in Brussels, said the government had “become Trump’s subcontractor” and vowed to defend Turkish democracy abroad.

Erdoğan Targets Özel in Trabzon Speech

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony for new public projects in Trabzon, President Erdoğan lashed out at the opposition, accusing the CHP of undermining Turkey’s image overseas.

“We have never been among those who speak one way at home and another abroad,” Erdoğan said at the Hayri Gür Sports Hall. “Even our adversaries have accepted the New Turkey. Yet our main opposition still cannot. Instead of defending the nation’s honor, they criticize their own country before foreigners. Does the CHP leader feel no shame pulling his country down in front of the world?”

Erdoğan also accused the CHP of ignoring Turkey’s support for Gaza, calling Özel’s earlier statements “lies,” and alleged that the opposition was lobbying Europe to protect corrupt officials.

“They organize complaint tours across Europe,” Erdoğan said. “Those accused of corruption beg Western governments for protection. They slander their own state. These people will never change.”

The President also touched on foreign policy, warning Israel to abide by the new ceasefire with Hamas and promising to launch construction next year for a new airport in Trabzon built over the Black Sea, which he said would be “Turkey’s third on water.”

Özel Responds in Brussels: “We Are Defending Democracy”

Özgür Özel fired back during a massive rally organized by the CHP in Brussels’ Place Jean Rey Square, part of the party’s “Nation Defends Its Will” campaign calling for the release of jailed Istanbul Mayor and presidential candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu.

Thousands of supporters from across Europe — including delegations from Germany, the Netherlands, and France — joined the rally, waving Turkish and CHP flags as they called for “freedom and democracy in Turkey.”

“The Turks of Europe are not indifferent to their homeland,” Özel declared. “They are patriots who still believe in the future of this country. We came here to stand up for all political prisoners in Turkey — from İmamoğlu and Adana’s Mayor Zeydan Karalar to Selahattin Demirtaş and Figen Yüksekdağ.”

He also warned Erdoğan’s government against new political arrests, saying, “Those who think they can target Mansur Yavaş next should think twice — he is not alone.”

“We Note Those Who Stay Silent to the Coup in Turkey”

Özel criticized what he called Western complacency toward democratic backsliding in Turkey, saying that certain European politicians remained silent “because they have transactional ties with Erdoğan.”

“Just as history shamed those who were silent during Iraq’s invasion, it will also shame those who ignore the coup against democracy in Turkey,” he said. “We see them, we record them.”

Özel accused Erdoğan of double standards:
“When the coup targeted him, he toured the world to tell his story. But now, when he commits injustice himself, he tells everyone to stay silent. We will not stay silent.”

“AKP Now Works for Trump”

Özel’s most stinging remarks came when he accused Erdoğan’s government of seeking legitimacy from abroad — specifically from U.S. President Donald Trump.

“The AKP no longer works for the Turkish people — it now works for Trump,” he said. “They lost legitimacy at home and are searching for it in the White House. Erdoğan is bartering away our country’s future — even our rare earth minerals are on the negotiation table.”

The CHP leader contrasted this with his party’s diplomacy:

“When Germany hesitated to sell Eurofighter jets to Turkey, we intervened. İmamoğlu, from his prison cell, sent a message to the German government through me: our fight for justice is one thing, but Turkey’s defense needs are another. That’s why the embargo was lifted.”

“Erdoğan Is on the Wrong Path”

Özel concluded by accusing Erdoğan of prioritizing his political survival over the nation’s interests.

“This so-called coup process brings no benefit to the people,” he said. “It weakens democracy, damages Turkey’s relations with Europe, and deepens economic hardship. If it helps no one, it means Erdoğan is on the wrong path — acting against Turkey’s national interest for his own power.”

Özel insisted that the CHP represents Turkey’s true interests both domestically and internationally:

“We are the opposition inside Turkey, but abroad, we are Turkey’s party. The CHP was the first party of this Republic — and remains its first party today.”

Political Showdown with International Echoes

Analysts say the escalating rhetoric reflects deep polarization ahead of possible early elections, as Erdoğan tightens control at home while the opposition tries to win international sympathy.
The war of words — one side accusing the other of “betraying the country,” the other warning of “authoritarian drift” — signals that Turkey’s political struggle is now as much about global perception as domestic power.