The ideology of the party was Kemalism with strong emphasis on secularism.
Bülent Ecevit, the secretary general of CHP after 1966 however, began introducing newer ideas.
He announced that the party was situated at the left of center in political spectrum (Turkish: Ortanın Solu).
[2] Prominent names such as Nermin Neftçi, Coşkun Kırca, Orhan Öztrak, Ali İhsan Göğüş were among the other charter members.
In the same year the party participated in the Technocracy government and the next year Ferit Melen, a member of the party became the prime minister.