Wikipedia

Victory Party (Turkey)

The Victory Party (Turkish: Zafer Partisi, ZP) is a right-wing[18] to far-right,[19][20][21] ultranationalist,[22][23] anti-immigrant[24][25] political party in Turkey founded on 26 August 2021[26] under the leadership of Ümit Özdağ. Party's emblem depicts a torch, its fire being shaped like a crescent and a star. Party was represented in the Grand National Assembly by a single MP, Özdağ himself, until it failed to pass the electoral threshold in the 2023 election and therefore was barred from any seats.[27]

Victory Party
Zafer Partisi
AbbreviationZAFER (unofficial)
ZP (unofficial)
LeaderÜmit Özdağ
Secretary-GeneralCezmi Polat
SpokespersonAzmi Karamahmutoğlu
FounderÜmit Özdağ
Founded26 August 2021 (2021-08-26)
Split fromGood Party
HeadquartersAnkara, Turkey
Youth wingAyyıldız Movement
Membership (2024)Increase 43.515[1]
IdeologyAnti-immigration[2][3]
Ultranationalism[4][5][6][7]
Kemalism[8]
Pan-Turkism[9]
Political positionRight-wing[15] to far-right[16][17]
Colours  Red
  White
  Grey
SloganZafer Partisi Gelecek Sığınmacılar Gidecek! ("The Victory Party Will Come, The Refugees Will Go!")

Bilim, Birlik, Barış

("Science, Unity, Peace")
AnthemKutlu Olsun ("May it be blessed")
Grand National Assembly
0 / 600
Municipal Assemblies
3 / 20,498
Website
zaferpartisi.org.tr

The Victory Party is the continuation of the Ayyıldız Movement (lit. 'Star and Crescent Movement') initiated by Ümit Özdağ,[28] which became a youth movement after the establishment of the party. The founding petition of the party was submitted to the Ministry of the Interior on 26 August 2021 and then the party was officially established.[29]

History

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The party was founded by Ümit Özdağ, due to his many disagreements with other Turkish parties, including corruption allegations, the demographic effects of the ruling AKP's refugee policies (which the Victory Party calls "strategic demographic engineering"), the "anti-democratic approaches" by the İYİ Party, and his feuds with the MHP and the modern CHP. In Özdağ's words, it was organized under the name of Ayyıldız Movement with the aim of "forming the motto of Turkish nationalism along the lines of Atatürk" and submitted its founding petition to the Ministry of Interior on August 26, 2021, when it was officially established.[30][31]

Party leader Ümit Özdağ declared Ankara mayor Mansur Yavaş as his favorite candidate for the 2023 presidential elections,[32] although Yavaş was a member of the CHP. Yavaş stated the declaration was without his knowledge and consent, declaring he was not a candidate for president. Ümit Özdağ confirmed that his statement was not with the consent of the Mayor of Ankara, claiming "It would have been a plot if we informed Mansur Yavaş".[33][34]

In February 2023, Muharrem İnce, the leader of the Homeland Party, announced that his party was discussing an electoral alliance with the Democratic Left Party, the Victory Party, True Party and the Justice Party for the 2023 Turkish general election.[35] On 6 March 2023, Muharrem İnce left the four-party alliance negotiations by sending a message to their WhatsApp group.[36]

On 11 March 2023, the Ancestral Alliance was formed with Victory Party, Justice Party, and two other minor parties.[37] The alliance endorsed Sinan Oğan as their presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, who came in 3rd place in the first round.[38] Victory Party received 2.23% of the vote and failed to pass the electoral threshold. On 24 May, Özdağ and the party announced they would back Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu in the second round of the elections.[39] The same day, it was revealed that there had been talks on Özdağ's appointment as Interior Minister if Kılıçdaroğlu won the election and that the parties had agreed on a seven-point memorandum of understanding.[40][41] However, the party's endorsed candidate, Sinan Oğan declared his support for Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.[42]

Upon its establishment, the party had two MPs, Ümit Özdağ and İsmail Koncuk [tr].[43] Koncuk later rejoined the İYİ Party.[44] Özdağ continued his membership until his party failed to enter parliament in 2023.[45] Ancestral Alliance was dissolved shortly after the election.[46][47]

Controversies

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Süleyman Soylu and Ümit Özdağ

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On 5 May 2022, Ümit Özdağ made a press statement against the Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu, who criticized him heavily in a television program, and stated that he would be in front of the Ministry of Interior building at 11:00 the next day and that he was waiting for Süleyman Soylu. Özdağ and the crowd went to the Ministry of Interior the next day, but were blocked by the police. The statements made by Özdağ in front of the Ministry, and the statements he made to Soylu increased the visibility of his party in the media.[48][49]

On 13 September 2022, a banner with the inscription "Domestic and National Escobar" on the Victory Party's Fatih District Directorate building and a bald and halfless head image below was hung. The Prosecutor's Office quickly removed this banner, stating that it "insulted a public official". Although it was not disclosed which public official was effectively being insulted.[50][51]

Devlet Bahçeli and Ümit Özdağ

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In 2023, Ümit Özdağ criticised Devlet Bahçeli and described him as "an agent". Semih Yalçın, a high ranking MHP official later said that "Ümit Özdağ, who reveals his true colors by insulting our party, our chairman, and us, for revealing his hypocrisy, insincerity and bad intentions." He criticised Ümit Özdağ's father by saying "Ümit Özdağ's father, the late Muzaffer Özdağ [tr], left our late Chief Alparslan Türkeş alone the day before the military memoir on March 12, 1971 and resigned on March 11. In other words, he had daggered his companion in the back and left. Ümit Özdağ was made a deputy by Mr. Devlet Bahçeli as 'maybe he will be a man' and important duties were assigned to him. However, he left everything and ran away, just like his father. He shot his companion in the back. It was a burden for Özdağ to work in the ranks of nationalism and the MHP; it was heavy. With the referral of the genetic heritage he carried, he threw himself into the arms of sedition, mischief and serialization at the first opportunity".[52]

Leadership

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These are the board members of Victory Party:[53]

# Name Title
1 Ümit Özdağ Chairperson
2 İlkim Yüksel Director of Education and Social Policies
3 Cezmi Polat General Secretary
4 Ali Dinçer Çolak Director of Organization
5 Sevda Gül Tunçer Director of Youth Politics and Party Spokeswomen
6 Şükrü Sina Gürel Director of Foreign Policy Responsible
7 Mehmet Alagöz Director of Development Policies
8 Murat Yıldız Director of Legal Affairs
9 Şahin Filiz Director of the Turkic World
10 Nadir Özkardaş Director of Relations with Bureaucracy
11 Aslan Yaman Director of Economics
12 Eser Güneysel Director of Propaganda
13 Songül Mercan Director of Local Administrations
14 Uğur Batur Director of Press and Publications
15 Aziz Ergen Director of Coordination Studies
16 Sevda Özbek Director of Women, Family and Children
17 Koçak Tükenmez Director of R&D
18 Fikret Bayır Director of National Security
19 Seyit Yücel Director of Political Affairs
20 Erdinç Örencik Director of European and American Turkishness
21 Mustafa Hakan Akşit General Accountant
22 Lütfü Şahsuvaroğlu Director of Election Affairs
23 Mehmet Ali Şehirlioğlu Director of Health Policy
24 Fatma Melike Karaaslan Assistant Secretary General

Electoral performance

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Parliamentary elections

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Election Leader Votes Seats Position
# % Rank # ±
2023 Ümit Özdağ 1,215,264 2.23 7th new Extra-parliamentary opposition

Presidential elections

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Election Candidate Votes % Outcome Map
2023  
Sinan Oğan

(Independent, supported by Victory Party)

2,831,208 5.17% 3rd  

Local elections

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Election Leader City Councils Number of municipalities Rank
Oy % ± # ±
2024  
Ümit Özdağ 		1.100.294 2.59% New
0 / 1,385
 Election 7th

References

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  1. ^ "Zafer Partisi" (in Turkish). Court of Cassation. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
  2. ^ "Zafer Partisi Kuruluş Bildirgesini Ümit Özdağ tek tek açıkladı!". www.habererk.com. Archived from the original on 12 May 2022. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  3. ^ "Özdağ'dan 'Anadolu Kalesi' projesi: Sığınmacılar için Şam yönetimiyle görüşecek". 19 April 2022. Archived from the original on 26 April 2022. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  4. ^ "Zafer Partisi nedir, kurucusu kim, ne zaman kuruldu? Zafer Partisi logosu ne? Zafer Partisi üyeleri kimler?". 24 August 2021. Archived from the original on 30 August 2021. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
  5. ^ "Yeni milliyetçilik ve Zafer Partisi fenomeni" (in Turkish). Archived from the original on 17 May 2022. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
  6. ^ Michaelson, Ruth (24 May 2023). "Ultranationalist leader backs Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu for Turkish presidency". The Guardian.
  7. ^ "AKP spokesperson says Victory Party and HDP 'cannot come together'". Duvar. 25 May 2023. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  8. ^ "Son dakika... Zafer Partisi Genel Başkanı Ümit Özdağ'dan Habertürk'e açıklamalar" (in Turkish). 26 April 2022. Archived from the original on 7 May 2022. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
  9. ^ "Zafer Partisi Lideri Ümit Özdağ: "Birleşik Türk Devletleri pasaportu ile seyahat edeceğimiz günler yakındır"". Archived from the original on 4 September 2022. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
  10. ^ a b "Turkey's open door closes: How Europe can better support Syrian refugees". 9 May 2022. Archived from the original on 11 June 2022. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
  11. ^ a b "Leader of right-wing party faces complaint over visit to Syrian-owned shop". 30 December 2021. Archived from the original on 19 April 2022. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
  12. ^ a b "Tensions grow amid opposition leader, interior minister spat over refugees".
  13. ^ a b "Syrians increasingly choosing to leave Turkey as xenophobia grows". Archived from the original on 15 June 2022. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
  14. ^ a b "How killing of Syrian refugee marks an alarming trend in Turkey". Archived from the original on 17 February 2022. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
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  19. ^ "Turkey Signals Possible Rapprochement With Syria". VOA. 26 September 2022. Archived from the original on 13 November 2022. Retrieved 13 November 2022. On the other hand, the far-right Victory Party calls for forced deportations of Syrian refugees, blaming them for the rising food prices.
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  25. ^ "Özdağ'dan 'Anadolu Kalesi' projesi: Sığınmacılar için Şam yönetimiyle görüşecek". 19 April 2022. Archived from the original on 26 April 2022. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  26. ^ Ekovitrin. "Ümit Özdağ'ın yeni partisi Zafer Partisi'nin GİK ve MDK üyeleri kimler?". ekovitrin.com/ (in Turkish). Archived from the original on 21 September 2021. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
  27. ^ "Umit Ozdag, submitted the document of the founding of the Victory Party". Sözcü (in Turkish). Archived from the original on 26 August 2021. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
  28. ^ "Ayyıldız Hareketi lideri Ümit Özdağ, yeni partinin kurucu üyelerini tanıttı". haber3.com. 14 July 2021. Archived from the original on 14 July 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  29. ^ The Victory Party Anthem May Be Blessed. Ümit Özdağ - Zafer Partisi Genel Başkanı. Archived from the original on 21 September 2021. Retrieved 19 September 2021 – via YouTube.
  30. ^ "Ümit Özdağ, Ayyıldız Hareketi'nin Genel Eşgüdüm Merkezi'ni açtı". Son Dakika (in Turkish). 19 May 2021. Archived from the original on 28 September 2021. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  31. ^ "Yok böyle bir ilişki ağı! Enver Altaylı'nın 'kadrosu' | Veryansın TV". 18 February 2020. Archived from the original on 18 February 2020. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  32. ^ "Ümit Özdağ'ın cumhurbaşkanı adayı Mansur Yavaş". Diken. 6 April 2022. Archived from the original on 6 April 2022. Retrieved 14 April 2022.
  33. ^ "Mansur Yavaş'tan 'Cumhurbaşkanlığı adaylığı' sorusuna yanıt". www.ntv.com.tr (in Turkish). Archived from the original on 11 April 2022. Retrieved 14 April 2022.
  34. ^ "Ümit Özdağ'dan Mansur Yavaş açıklaması: Temas gerçekleştirmiş olsaydık bu komplo olurdu, doğru olmazdı". Archived from the original on 12 April 2022. Retrieved 17 August 2022.
  35. ^ "Memleket Partisi, Demokratik Sol Parti, Zafer Partisi, Adalet Partisi ve Doğru Parti'den 4. Ittifak geliyor". Archived from the original on 3 February 2023. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  36. ^ "Muharrem İnce 'mesajla' 4'lü ittifaktan ayrıldı". www.cumhuriyet.com.tr (in Turkish). Archived from the original on 7 March 2023. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  37. ^ "Ata İttifakı hangi partilerden oluşuyor? Ata İttifakı'nın cumhurbaşkanı adayı kim?". www.cumhuriyet.com.tr (in Turkish). 11 March 2023. Archived from the original on 11 March 2023. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  38. ^ "'Ata İttifakı' bir eksikle ilan edildi: Zafer inananların olacak". Gazete Duvar. 11 March 2023. Archived from the original on 11 March 2023. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  39. ^ Hayatsever, Huseyin; Kucukgocmen, Ali (24 May 2023). "Turkey anti-immigrant party leader backs Erdogan's challenger in runoff". Reuters. Retrieved 24 May 2023.
  40. ^ "Özdağ İçişleri Bakanlığı iddiasına yanıt verdi". Dünya (in Turkish). 24 May 2023. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
  41. ^ "'Kılıçdaroğlu ile Özdağ 7 maddede anlaştı'". Rudaw (in Turkish). 24 May 2023. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
  42. ^ "Sinan Oğan ikinci turda Cumhurbaşkanı Erdoğan'ı destekleyeceğini açıkladı". BBC News Türkçe (in Turkish). 21 May 2023. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  43. ^ "ZP is now in The Parliament!". Habererk (in Turkish). Archived from the original on 20 September 2021. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
  44. ^ Kolcu, Gamze (25 May 2022). "İsmail Koncuk, yeniden İYİ Parti saflarına katılıyor". www.cumhuriyet.com.tr (in Turkish). Archived from the original on 29 June 2022. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  45. ^ Gazetesi, Dünya (15 May 2023). "Zafer Partisi Genel başkanı Ümit Özdağ milletvekili seçilemedi". www.dunya.com (in Turkish). Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  46. ^ "Kılıçdaroğlu'na desteğini açıklayan Adalet Partisi Başkanı Vecdet Öz: ATA İttifakı resmen sona ermiştir". Haberler (in Turkish). 21 May 2023. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  47. ^ "Ümit Özdağ açıkladı: ATA İttifakı dağılmıştır". www.tv100.com (in Turkish). 22 May 2023. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  48. ^ "İçişleri Bakanlığı'na yürüyüşü engellenen Ümit Özdağ: Süleyman Soylu, sen Türkiye'nin en büyük kriminalisin". BBC News Türkçe. Archived from the original on 16 June 2022. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  49. ^ "Son anketi köşesinden paylaştı: Zafer Partisi'nin oy oranı şaşırttı! - Veryansın TV". 14 June 2022. Archived from the original on 26 March 2023. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  50. ^ ""Yerli ve Milli Escobar" pankartına polis baskını". 16 September 2022. Archived from the original on 7 October 2022. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  51. ^ "Yerli ve milli Escobar pankartı tartışma yarattı". Archived from the original on 7 October 2022. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  52. ^ Merkezi, Haber (11 January 2023). "Bahçeli'ye "ajan" diyen Özdağ'a MHP'li Yalçın'dan cevap: "Gözün kesiyorsa buraya gel, bizi sen al da senin ciğerinin kaç okka ettiğini bir görelim"". Medyascope (in Turkish). Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  53. ^ "Başkanlık Divanı". zaferpartisi.org.tr. 3 March 2022. Archived from the original on 4 May 2022. Retrieved 10 May 2022.
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