Kanlı: UBP Has Also Lost Its Own Story

In a column he authored, Kanlı said UBP has experienced a serious erosion of discipline, unity and political reflexes in recent years. Using the metaphor of “the Emperor’s New Clothes,” he wrote that the party’s realities can no longer be openly discussed, despite repeated claims at election rallies that UBP remains the “largest party” and a “strong, united structure.”

Kanlı noted that the outcomes of the most recent local elections, by-elections and the presidential election present a very different picture, underlining that UBP has emerged defeated in all three contests.

He said responsibility for the party’s decline is being shifted among various actors, with some blaming the party leader, others targeting MPs, and some pointing to Turkey. While Kanlı said he does not believe claims that Turkey is pursuing a new Cyprus plan, he stressed that all these factors have nevertheless contributed to the current political collapse.

According to Kanlı, UBP has not merely lost elections but has also lost the dynamic character and internal reflexes that once defined it. He said allegations surrounding the party leadership, debates over merit, power struggles and narrow inner-circle politics have created widespread resentment that is clearly visible to the public, prompting voters to respond at the ballot box.

Kanlı argued that many issues cannot be written about in the media or on social platforms, but added that even what can be written is sufficient to reveal the depth of the crisis. He described UBP as ideologically adrift, organisationally exhausted and politically on the defensive, warning that this situation poses a risk not only to the party but also to the state.

Stressing that saying “UBP is in trouble” does not amount to hostility towards the party, Kanlı said such criticism stems from belief in its mission. “Someone now needs the courage to say ‘UBP is naked,’” he wrote, calling on what he described as the party’s genuine supporters.

Kanlı concluded by saying that UBP’s recovery is essential for both the state and the nation, adding that with the right steps the party could regain its vitality. He said his remarks were directed not at those seeking personal gain, but at those who remain sincerely committed to UBP and its historical mission.