Crisis in Türkiye's opposition: Who says what?

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Politicians reacted to the Good (İYİ) Party's decision not to support the candidacy of Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, leader of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP).

İYİ Party Chair Meral Akşener announced her party's decision today (March 3), a day after a meeting with the six leaders of the opposition bloc. After the meeting, the leaders had said in a joint statement that "we have reached a common understanding" regarding the candidacy for president.

CLICK - Türkiye's opposition alliance breaks up as key ally refuses to back Kılıçdaroğlu 

Responding briefly to Akşener's move, Kılıçdaroğlu said, "Don't worry, everything will fall into place. We are continuing on our path." 

Mehmet Emin Ekmen, deputy chair of the Democracy and Progress (DEVA) Party, one of the six parties of the alliance, tweeted, "If there is no loyalty to kindness, grace, respect, self-respect, and most importantly, to the truth, do we need to discuss the rest?"

Democratic Party (DP) Deputy Chair Cemal Enginyurt wrote, "We stand by our words. We have said the Nation's Alliance, ans we'll continue to say that."

The İYİ Party is the second-largest party in the bloc of six parties. Following Akşener's statement, many social media users who describe themselves as İYİ Party members said they would resign from the party. Some of them shared screenshots of their applications for resignation on the e-government portal.

Canan Kaftancıoğlu, head of the CHP's İstanbul organization, wrote on Twitter, "Never be hopeless."

"We'll write history together, for the sake of our people and those we lost [in the earthquakes], They will go," she added.

Hüda Kaya, an MP with the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), wrote, "I'm not surprised at all."

Ferhat Encü, the party's İstanbul chair, wrote, "We are not surprised, those who are should think about that. Can there be a partnership with fascists?"

(TY/VK)