Turkey's main opposition leader, Özgür Özel, has criticized the European Union and the international community for their silence regarding President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's intensified crackdown on democratic institutions and political opponents. Özel has also highlighted internal party tensions, defending his intent to reclaim leadership through legal means and accusing current officials of compromising the party's integrity. Additionally, Özel warned of Turkey's air force deficiencies, noting that the country has not received a new fighter jet in 13 years and cannot upgrade its existing F-16s, which are comparable to those of Greece. He emphasized the resulting disadvantage, stating that Turkish forces cannot detect Greek fighter jets, while the reverse is possible, indicating a significant problem for Turkey's military capabilities. Meanwhile, Western countries have been criticized for their silence as opposition figures like Ekrem İmamoğlu face imprisonment, a situation viewed as enabling authoritarianism within a NATO member state.